May 14, 2008
BOX SCORE
LEXINGTON, Va. -- Longwood University took a 6-4 baseball decision on the road at VMI Wednesday night at Gray-Minor Stadium in Lexington. It was the final game of the season for the Lancers who finished 2008 with a final record of 23-26-1, while the Keydets of the Big South Conference are now 26-24 overall. Longwood attained its 27th overall 20-win campaign in the program’s 31-year history, while 30th-year head coach Charles ‘Buddy’ Bolding completes the year with an overall coaching record of 818-435-4.
Longwood scored runs in both the first and third innings, and added three more runs in the fourth to lead 5-0 before VMI was able to plate two runs in the fourth to make it 5-2. The Lancers scored another run in the seventh for a 6-2 lead as the Keydets added runs in the seventh and eighth to provide for the final margin.
In the first, junior Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (2-5, RBI) helped Longwood to an advantage it would not relinquish as he drove a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left-center field for his fourth home run. In the third, sophomore Jake Yocum/Thurmont, Md. (Catoctin) (3-4, RBI) reached on a single to open the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Brant Jones/Richmond (Monacan) (1-2, 2 RBI). With two outs, Yocum came home on an RBI single by sophomore Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1-5, RBI) who fell just short of batting .400 this season (.395).
In the fourth, sophomore David Smiy Jr./Chesterfield (Matoaca)?(2-3) singled with one out, moved to second on a balk, and to third on an infield single from junior Jon Quigley/Annandale (W.T. Woodson)?(1-4). Yocum followed with an RBI double down the left-field line to score Smiy, and both Quigley and Yocum crossed the plate on a two-run single by Jones. In the seventh, sophomore Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania)?(1-4) reached on a one-out single and scored on a two-out, run-scoring single from classmate Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford)?(1-4, RBI).
Sophomore Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) (6-4) earned the pitching win with the final 5.2 innings, scattering five hits and two unearned runs with five strikeouts and one walk. Junior John Walker II/Alexandria (West Potomac) had started on the mound and pitched the first 3.1 innings, yielding four hits and two earned runs with no strikeouts and one walk.
VMI was led by Sam Roberts (4-4) with four hits, including a double, while Tanner Biagini (1-4, RBI) and Jordan Ballard (1-4, RBI) each hit home runs for the Keydets. Adam Kruithof (1-2) took the pitching loss with the first 2.2 innings, allowing three hits and two runs, earned, with three strikeouts and one walk.
Longwood still trails in the all-time series against VMI that began in 1979 at 7-5 through 12 overall games. The Lancers could return as many as 20 letterwinners for the 2009 campaign.