April 13, 2005

BOX SCORE

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Longwood University dropped a 9-7 baseball decision at The Citadel Wednesday in South Carolina. The Lancers are now 12-23 this season with the road loss, while the Bulldogs improved to 13-19. Longwood was scheduled to host Hampden-Sydney College on Thursday, April 14, at Lancer Stadium - but that game has been canceled.

At The Citadel of the Southern Conference, the second game between the two institutions in two days was delayed twice, 30 minutes each, by lightning. The Bulldogs took leads of 3-0 in the first inning, 4-0 in the second inning, 6-2 in the fifth inning, 8-2 in the sixth inning, and 9-2 in the seventh inning. Longwood scored two runs in the third inning, and rallied close with five runs in the eighth inning but came up short.

The Lancers scored in the third when freshman Travis Lydon/Westlake, Ohio (St. Edward) (2-4, RBI) doubled to score classmate Nick von Gersdorff/Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (2-4, RBI) who had reached base on a single. Senior Chris Balus/Newport News (Denbigh) (3-5, 2 RBI) later reached on a fielder’s choice before stealing second base and scoring on a two-out single by sophomore Tyler Ames/Exmore (Northampton) (1-5, RBI). Balus totals a team-high 20 stolen bases this season.

Balus added a one-out, two-run home run in the eighth to score von Gersdorff again ahead of him to begin the five-run rally. Sophomore Charlie Yarbrough/Richmond (Mills Godwin) (1-4, RBI) had a two-out double to score classmate Tyler Childress/Montclair (Forest Park) (1-5) who had singled. Freshman Louis Ullrich/Centreville (Westfield) (2-4, RBI) added a two-out single to score sophomore pinch-runner Brett Mangigian/Midlothian (Midlothian), and Ullrich scored on a two-out single by Lydon as LU plated three of the five runs with two outs. Balus doubled in the ninth inning but was stranded.

Sophomore Alan Moore/Richmond (Monacan) (3-5) took the pitching loss with the first 4.0 innings on the mound, allowing five hits and four earned runs with three strikeouts.

The Citadel was led by Will Coker (3-5, 2 RBI) who had three hits and two RBI, while Jon Aughey (2-5, 3 RBI) and Zach Brown (2-4, 2 RBI) each added a pair of hits for the Bulldogs as well. Jamie Maxwell (1-1) earned the pitching win with the first 5.0 innings, yielding just three hits and two earned runs with seven strikeouts.