The Longwood University softball team’s game Sunday against visiting Big South archrival Liberty University was the first-ever nationally televised sporting event in Farmville, and the Lancers ensured the memory of it would bring a broad smile to the faces of hometown fans.

The home team put on a show for viewers everywhere — especially those packing the stands and the hillside along Main Street — by orchestrating a 3-2 comeback win on ESPNU and ESPNews that clinched the three-game series.

“It’s (the) first- or second-best environment in a regular season game,” Longwood Head Coach Kathy Riley said. “We had one Virginia Tech game that was really good, but this was, I think, a little more exciting simply because of the nature that we’re playing a conference opponent, and we both were battling last year for the championship, and you come out here. So, I think it had a lot to do with it, but it was a great atmosphere to play in.”

The Flames (30-10, 10-2 Big South) who still hold first place in the Big South Conference, opened the series Friday with a 3-2 win before Longwood rebounded to win the nightcap 6-2, fueled by a complete-game pitching performance from freshman Sydney Backstrom and a three-run homer by freshman Jenna Dunn.

Trailing 2-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning Sunday, the Lancers cut into Liberty’s lead when junior Kaylynn “Bug” Batten hit a solo home run over the left field fence. In the bottom of the sixth inning, redshirt junior Karleigh Donovan hit a two-run home run to right field for the go-ahead score.

Freshman pitcher Sydney Backstrom pitched the final three innings of the game, allowing no hits or walks and throwing two strikeouts to improve to 7-4 on the season. In four innings, junior Sydney Gay allowed four hits, two earned runs and threw a strikeout.

After the game and her ESPN post-game interview, Donovan described what the atmosphere of the evening was like.

“It felt like the Big South Conference Championship game, for sure,” she said. “It was nice to have all these people here and have ESPN have us on TV and stuff like that. I was a little nervous, but seeing all our fans here and then having good pitching throughout the game really helped take some of the pressure off.”

Pinpointing what gave her team the edge in the game, Riley citing poise and the play of her pitchers, Backstrom and Gay.

“They kept us in the game,” she said. “When we had some situations where they got runners on, we were able to really withstand the pressure they put on us. And after that, I think it was just us staying within ourselves and not really going too fast, because I knew that our girls were ready to play and wanted to win the game, but it was easier for (the Flames) to get momentum early because they put some pressure on us, got some base runners and got a couple runs, but I didn’t see us get out of sorts at all, so I think that was really the key to the game — those two items.”

Entering Tuesday’s game at the University of North Carolina, the Lancers held an overall record of 24-12, including a 9-3 mark in the Big South. Last year at this same point, Longwood was 15-21 overall, 4-5 in the Big South.

“Things are a little bit different this year,” Donovan said. “I know that we’re getting better results this year than we were last year. I think we’re a little bit calmer this year. Last year we were too uptight and (there was) just a lot of pressure last year, and this year it doesn’t feel like that much pressure on all of us.”

She said Riley has helped reduce that pressure with her approach during games, keeping things loose and staying positive throughout.

Riley noted that her own focus 36 games into this season is “just making sure that we don’t rest on our laurels. Last year, it was easy for us to really fight, and I want to take all of us.”

She said Riley has helped reduce that pressure with her approach during games, keeping things loose and staying positive throughout.

Riley noted that her own focus 36 games into this season is “just making sure that we don’t rest on our laurels. Last year, it was easy for us to really fight, and I want to take the same attitude. And this is when you have to play the pretend game, and you have to pretend maybe that you’re 12-24, because it’s supposed to motivate you to come to practice the right way.”

She held the atmosphere of Sunday’s game in mind as she pondered her team’s future.

“Even though I know that we need to maintain our confidence — but I feel like they will — the key for us is wanting to be in this environment, whether it’s a conference tournament, whether it’s a regional if we get an opportunity, and feel good that we’re prepared or those situations,” she said.

The Lancers visit the University of Virginia on Wednesday at 6 p.m.