March 15, 2008

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a 12-4 baseball victory past visiting Coppin State University Saturday at Lancer Stadium in Farmville. The Lancers improved to 10-5 while sweeping the three-game weekend series against the Eagles (2-14), and have won four-straight and eight of their last 10 games. Longwood will play again on Sunday, March 16, at Norfolk State University -- a scheduled doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m..

Longwood allowed Coppin State a run in the first inning before scoring two runs in its half of the opening frame to lead 2-1. The Eagles added three runs in the fourth to lead 4-2 but the Lancers scored one run in the fourth, five runs in the fifth, three runs in the seventh, and another run in the eighth inning for the decisive home triumph.

In the first, freshman Justin Morreim/Virginia Beach (Frank W. Cox) (3-4, 2 RBI) doubled with two outs and scored on another two-out RBI double from sophomore Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (2-3, RBI). Havers scored on a two-out RBI single by classmate Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (3-3, 3 RBI). In the fourth, Cerreto singled with one out and scored on an RBI double from senior Nick von Gersdorff/Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (2-4, 4 RBI).

In the five-run fifth inning, sophomore Topher Ellis/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (1-3) walked to lead-off and scored with one-out on an RBI single by Morreim. Junior Paul Heidler II/Warrenton (Notre Dame Academy) (1-4), who had also singled, crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from Cerreto, and Morreim and Havers (with another single) scored on a two-out, two-run single by von Gersdorff. von Gersdorff would later score ahead of a run-down out on a steal attempt. In the three-run seventh, sophomore Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (0-4) reached when hit by a pitch to lead-off the inning, stole second base, and scored on an RBI double from Morreim. Morreim scored when von Gersdorff was hit by a pitch as well with the bases loaded, and Havers, who had reached on an error, crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by sophomore David Smiy Jr./Chesterfield (Matoaca) (1-3, RBI). The Lancers added the run in the eighth when Heidler walked to open the frame and scored on a two-out RBI single from Cerreto.

Senior Isaac Weiderman/Chillicothe, Ohio (Huntington) (1-0) earned the pitching win with 2.2 scoreless innings of middle relief, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts. Classmate Rob Moody/Midlothian (Midlothian) also pitched a scoreless inning with three strikeouts, while Heidler made his collegiate debut on the mound with a perfect inning as well, including two strikeouts.

Coppin State was led by Harry Williams (3-4) with three hits, while Carlos Russell (2-4, RBI) had two hits and an RBI. Williams also suffered the mound loss with the first 5.0 innings, yielding 11 hits and eight earned runs.