April 16, 2008
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 13-8 extra inning baseball decision to visiting William and Mary Wednesday night at Lancer Stadium in Farmville. The Lancers are now 20-15 this season, while the Tribe of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) are now 26-12 after the 10-inning victory. Longwood will play again this weekend, April 19-20, hosting North Carolina A&T as the two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 12 p.m.. This Saturday’s twinbill has also been designated as “Coach Bolding Day” and will include a special pre-game ceremony at Lancer Stadium in recognition of 30th-year head coach Buddy Bolding (815-424-3) and his 800 career wins at Longwood.
Against William and Mary, Longwood allowed five runs in the second inning and another run in the third to trail 6-0 before making a comeback. The Lancers scored five runs in the sixth inning but the Tribe added a run in the seventh and another in the eighth to lead 8-5. The hosts, however, refused to quit and scored two runs in the eighth before tying the contest at 8-8 with a two-out run in the ninth. The visitors finally took the decision with five runs in the 10th inning.
In the sixth, Longwood scored five runs on six hits with one throwing error in the field. Producing runs for the Lancers were sophomore Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (1-3, RBI) with an RBI single, junior Paul Heidler II/Warrenton (Notre Dame Academy) (1-4, RB) with an RBI single, sophomore Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (2-5, 2 RBI) with an RBI double to right-center field, and freshman Brant Jones/Richmond (Monacan) (0-1, RBI) with an RBI ground-ball out while pinch-hitting. In the eighth, freshman Justin Morreim/Virginia Beach (Frank W. Cox) (1-5, RBI) and Cerreto each plated runs with RBI ground-ball outs. In the ninth, senior Nick von Gersdorff/Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (1-4) led-off with a single, stole second base, and scored on a dramatic pinch-hit double down the left-field line by sophomore David Smiy Jr./Chesterfield (Matoaca) (1-1, RBI). Unfortunately, Smiy was stranded at second base to send the game into extra innings. Junior Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (2-5) also collected two hits for the hosts.
Senior John Farrell/Nantucket, Mass. (Nantucket) pitched the first 6.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and seven runs, five earned, with four strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) (5-3) took the loss with the final two-thirds of an innings, yielding three hits and five runs, two earned, with one walk.
William and Mary scored its five runs in the second inning on three hits, including a two-run single by Lanny Stanfield (1-4, 2 RBI), and two errors as well. The Tribe’s five runs in the 10th were aided by four hits, including a two-run triple from Tyler Stampone (3-5, 2 RBI) and a two-run home run by Mike Sheridan (4-6, 2 RBI) along with another error. James Williamson (3-5, RBI) also had three hits for the visitors. Pat Kantakevich (3-2) had the pitching win with the final 3.0 innings, yielding just two hits and the one earned run with three strikeouts and no walks.
William and Mary now leads the overall series against Longwood since first playing in 1982 at 11-6.
