March 16, 2008
BOX SCORE GAME ONE
BOX SCORE GAME TWO
NORFOLK, Va. -- Longwood University split a baseball doubleheader at Norfolk State University Sunday, winning the second game 9-4 in extra innings after dropping the first game 6-0. The Lancers are now 11-6 after having their four-game winning streak stopped in the opener, while the Spartans are now 7-6. Longwood, winners of nine of its last 12 games overall, is scheduled to play again on Tuesday, March 18, at VCU in Richmond at The Diamond beginning at 7 p.m..
In the nightcap, Longwood scored two runs in the first inning and added single runs in both the second and third before pushing across five runs in the extra and decisive eighth inning. Norfolk State had scored a run in the second inning before adding three runs in the sixth to tie the game at 4-4 through seven innings. In the eighth, senior Nick von Gersdorff/Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (0-1, RBI) provided the game-winning RBI on a one-out sacrifice fly that scored sophomore Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (4-4) who had led-off with a single, his fourth hit in the game. Junior Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (2-5, 4 RBI) added a two-out grand slam home run in the inning for some insurance runs, his first homer this year.
The Lancers had opened the second game with a quick response to their first shutout loss as freshman Marcus Powell/Manassas (Osbourn) (2-4, RBI) reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on an error that allowed Bailey to reach second. Bailey moved on to third via a sacrifice bunt and scored on an RBI ground-out from sophomore Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (0-4, RBI). In the second, Powell’s one-out RBI single scored freshman Brant Jones/Richmond (Monacan) (0-2) who had reached on a fielder’s choice. In the third, Cerreto reached on a one-out single and later crossed the plate on another throwing error.
Senior Rob Moody/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1-1) earned the pitching win with the final 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts. Sophomore Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) had pitched the first 5.1 innings while making his first start of the season after six relief appearances, scattering seven hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts as well.
Norfolk State was led in the second game by John Boyd (2-4, 2 RBI) and Chase Bailey (2-3) with two hits each, including a two-run double from Boyd in the sixth inning. Quinn Bright (1-2) took the mound loss with the final 1.0 inning, allowing three hits and five earned runs with one strikeout.
In the opener, Longwood was shutout for the first time this season while collecting a season-low of just three hits as Norfolk State scored a run in the first inning, four runs in the second, and one run in the sixth inning. Senior John Farrell/Nantucket, Mass. (Nantucket) (1-2) took the pitching loss with a complete-game effort, allowing eight hits and five earned runs with three strikeouts. Bailey (1-3), Havers (1-3), and freshman Jonathan Watson/Richmond (L.C. Bird) (1-1) each had singles for the Lancers.
The Spartans were led in the first game by Billy Canady (2-2, RBI), Chase Bailey (2-3, RBI), and John Boyd (2-3) with two hits each, while Leon Schabacker (3-1) earned the mound win with a complete-game effort as well, yielding just the three hits with nine strikeouts.
