April 26, 2007
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 3-2 baseball decision to visiting High Point University of the Big South Conference Thursday night at Lancer Stadium in Farmville. The Panthers improved to 24-22 after scoring the game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning when Robby Kuzdale (2-4, 2 RBI) singled with one out to score Matt Gantner (1-1) who had singled as a pinch-hitter to open the inning. The Lancers dropped to 33-14 and were led by freshman Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1-5, RBI) who had driven-in the game-tying run in the seventh inning on a single into right field. Longwood is idle for the next week during spring semester exams before returning to action May 5-6 for a three-game weekend series at Army in West Point, New York.
High Point jumped ahead early with two runs in the second inning on RBI singles from both Alfie Wheeler (2-4, RBI) and Kuzdale, the first with one out and the latter with two outs after the first two batters reached base in the inning via a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Longwood senior captain and right-handed pitcher Brian McCullough/ Virginia Beach (Princess Anne) settled down after that and pitched 6.0 solid innings, scattering four hits and the two earned runs with three walks while pitching on just three days rest after an 8.0 inning effort on Sunday.
Longwood scored a run in the fifth inning to close to within 2-1 as freshman Topher Ellis/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (1-4) singled with one-out, advanced to second on an infield single by sophomore Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (1-5), moved to third on a wild pitch, and later scored on another wild pitch with two outs. The Lancers tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh inning when senior captain Tyler Ames/Exmore (Northampton) (1-3) singled with one out, went to second on a wild pitch, and crossed the pate on a hard-hit ball by Cerreto that got past the first baseman into right field.
High Point relief pitcher Glenn Jones (2-1) picked-up the win in late relief with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit, while Tom Boleska earned his seventh save with the final 1.0 inning, yielding a walk with one strikeout. Bubba O’Donnell had started on the mound for the Panthers and pitched the first 6.1 solid innings, scattering six hits with two runs, both earned, with six strikeouts and three walks.
Longwood also had pitching from redshirt senior left-hander Brett Mangigian/Midlothian (Midlothian), freshman right-hander Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa), and senior left-hander Needham Jones III/Portsmouth (Woodrow Wilson). Harting (2-1) took the mound loss with 1.1 innings of late relief, allowing five hits and the one earned run with a walk. Mangigian pitched a perfect seventh inning (1.0), while Jones (0.2) retired the final two batters with a strikeout.
It was the final home night game this season for Longwood, and drew a crowd of 625 on Senior Night as well.
