February 22, 2008
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a 9-7 season-opening baseball victory past visiting Le Moyne College Friday at Lancer Stadium in Farmville. The Lancers (1-0) were led by senior Nick von Gersdorff/Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (3-4, RBI) and junior Jon Quigley/Annandale (W.T. Woodson) (3-4, RBI) with three hits and an RBI each as the hosts rallied from an early 4-0 deficit for the come-from-behind home win. Longwood and Le Moyne (0-1) will continue the four-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, February 23, at Lancer Stadium in Farmville beginning at 1 p.m..
Longwood spotted Le Moyne an early 4-0 lead through two at-bats, and trailed 5-2 after four innings before scoring four runs in the fifth to lead 6-5. The Dolphins, though, scored two runs in the sixth inning to lead 7-6 but the Lancers added a run in the sixth to tie it at 7-7, and scored the two decisive runs in the seventh for the triumph.
In the second, junior Paul Heidler II/Warrenton (Notre Dame Academy) (0-3) walked, stole second, advanced to third on a single by von Gersdorff, and later scored on a wild pitch. von Gersdorff also scored on a one-out RBI single by sophomore Topher Ellis/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (1-2, RBI). In the fifth, sophomore Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1-3, RBI) had a one-out RBI single that scored Ellis who had walked to open the frame. Quigley followed with an RBI double that plated junior Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (2-5, RBI) who had also reached on a double, and with two outs, Heidler reached on an error that allowed Cerreto and Quigley to each cross the plate. In the sixth, Bailey’s RBI single scored von Gersdorff who had singled to lead-off the inning. In the seventh, Quigley tripled with one out and scored what proved to be the game-winning run on an RBI double from sophomore Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (1-2, RBI). Havers added an insurance run on an RBI single by von Gersdorff with two outs.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) (1-0) collected the mound win in middle relief, scattering five hits and two earned runs with four strikeouts over 3.0 innings. Senior Rob Moody/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1) earned the save with the final 1.0 shutout inning, yielding one hit with one strikeout.
Le Moyne was led at the plate by Stephen Crawford (3-5, 2 RBI), Matt Nandin (3-5), Corey O’Neill (2-3, 2 RBI), and Mike Brown (2-4, 2 RBI). Brandon Otto (0-1) took the pitching loss in relief, allowing four hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts over 2.1 innings. Eric Beaulac started and went the first 4.1 innings for the Dolphins, yielding seven hits and three earned runs with 10 strikeouts in front of approximately 10 major league scouts in attendance.
It was the first-ever meeting between Longwood and Le Moyne in baseball, the Dolphins having advanced to the NCAA Regionals last season for the third time in five years.
