March 31, 2007

BOX SCORE GAME ONE

BOX SCORE GAME TWO

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University split a baseball doubleheader against Long Island University Saturday at Lancer Stadium in Farmville, winning the first game 8-6 before dropping the second game 6-4. The Lancers are now 23-10 on the campaign, while the Blackbirds are now 4-12. Longwood and Long Island will play again on Sunday, April 1, at 1 p.m. -- the finale of the four-game weekend series at Lancer Stadium in Farmville.

In the opener, Longwood scored two runs in the fourth inning, and six more runs in the fifth inning en route to victory. In the fourth, freshman Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (0-3) reached on an error and advanced to third on a single by senior Tyler Childress/Montclair (Forest Park) (3-4, 3 RBI) who went to second on the throw. Havers scored on an RBI single from freshman Frank Berry II/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (1-3, RBI), and Childress later crossed the plate on an RBI single by freshman Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (2-4, RBI).

In the sixth, Childress delivered a three-run double to right-center field that scored sophomore Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (3-5) who had singled, classmate Jon Quigley/Annandale (W.T. Woodson) (2-4) who had walked, along with Havers who walked as well. Childress crossed the plate on an RBI single from freshman Rusty Smith/Leesburg (Heritage) (1-3, RBI), and Smith would later score on an RBI single by classmate Topher Ellis/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (1-4, RBI). A sacrifice fly from senior captain Tyler Ames/Exmore (Northampton) (0-4, RBI) plated Kimble who had singled in the inning as well.

Long Island kept it interesting with six runs on 15 hits, led by Orlando Cruz (4-5, RBI) with four hits, including a double; along with Marcus Wynn (3-4, 3 RBI) and Chris Kievit (3-3, RBI) with three hits each. Wynn had a two-run home run in the fifth for the Blackbirds, while Kievit had a double as well for LIU.

Longwood junior right-handed pitcher John Farrell/Nantucket, Mass. (Nantucket) (5-2) earned the pitching win with the first 5.0 innings, scattering eight hits and three runs, each earned, with four strikeouts and no walks. Freshman Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) (1) picked-up his first collegiate save while registering the final out with a strikeout of the only batter he faced. LIU’s Rich Moran (0-4) took the mound loss with the first 4.0 innings, allowing eight hits and six runs, five earned, with three walks and no strikeouts.

In the nightcap, Long Island jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning and answered each time Longwood closed the margin for the split of the two games. The Lancers had climbed to within 3-2 in the third inning but the Blackbirds went back up 4-2 in the fifth inning. Longwood closed to 4-3 in its half of the fifth but LIU scored two runs in the seventh inning to lead 6-3. The Lancers added a run in the seventh as well but could get no closer.

Robbie Rowen (2-3, 3 RBI) led Long Island with two hits and three RBI, including a double, and also earned the pitching save with the final 2.0 innings, yielding three hits and one unearned run. Danny Etkin (2-3) and Gerard Tingos (2-4) each had two hits as well for the Blackbirds. Mike Maynard (2-1) got the mound win with the first 5.0 innings, scattering eight hits and three runs, each earned, with four strikeouts and three walks.

Quigley (3-4, RBI) paced the 11-hit attack for Longwood with three hits and an RBI, including a triple and double, while Havers (2-4, RBI) and freshman Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (2-4) each had two hits. Classmate Jake Yocum/Thurmont, Md. (Catoctin) (1-1) took the pitching loss with the first 3.1 innings on the mound, allowing seven hits and three runs, each earned, with one walk. Harting pitched the final 2.0 innings, yielding two hits and two runs, each earned, with two strikeouts and one walk.