April 20, 2008
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 13-12 decision to visiting North Carolina A&T Sunday afternoon in 10 innings at Lancer Stadium in Farmville. The Lancers are now 20-18 after being swept in the three-game weekend series by the Aggies of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) who are now 18-23. Longwood will play again on Tuesday, April 22, hosting Campbell University of the Atlantic Sun Conference at Lancer Stadium beginning at 6 p.m..
Longwood fell behind 6-0 in the second inning before scoring five runs in the second to close to within 6-5. North Carolina A&T added three more runs in the third inning to lead 9-5 before the Lancers made it 9-6 with a run in the fourth. LU took its only lead of the contest at 10-9 with four runs in the sixth inning but the Aggies responded with two runs in the seventh to lead 11-10. N.C. A&T added a run in the ninth inning to lead 12-10, however, Longwood answered with two runs in the ninth to tie the game at 12-12 and force extra innings. The visitors secured the series sweep with an unearned run in the 10th to escape with the one-run victory in a game that witnessed each team collecting 18 hits.
In the second, Longwood’s five runs were aided by six hits and a catcher’s interference call as well. Following back-to-back singles by sophomores Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (3-6) and Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (3-6, 4 RBI) to open the at-bat, classmate Jake Yocum/Thurmont, Md. (Catoctin) (4-5, RBI) reached on the error to load the bases. Sophomore David Smiy Jr./Chesterfield (Matoaca) (2-6, 2 RBI) drove-in Cerreto and Havers with a two-run double down the right-field line, and Yocum crossed the plate on an RBI ground-ball out by classmate Topher Ellis/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (0-3, RBI). Smiy would score on an RBI single from sophomore Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (1-1, RBI), while Kimble would cross the plate on an RBI single by freshman Brant Jones/Richmond (Monacan) (1-4). In the fourth, Kimble walked to lead-off and later scored on a fielder’s choice RBI from freshman Justin Morreim/Virginia Beach (Frank W. Cox) (1-6, RBI).
In the sixth, Morreim walked with one out and Cerreto followed with a single before Havers homered to right field, a towering three-run blast over the trees beyond the fence and onto the adjacent softball field. It was Havers’ team-leading fourth homer this season. Yocum singled and later scored unearned on a throwing error. In the ninth, Jones reached on a lead-off infield single and advanced to second on a two-out wild pitch before scoring on a two-out RBI double to right field by Havers. Havers scored on a two-out RBI single by Yocum.
North Carolina A&T was led by Jeremy Jones (4-6, 5 RBI) with four hits and five RBI, including a three-run home run in the third inning. Nick Rogers (4-5, 4 RBI) also had four hits with four RBI, including a two-run homer in the seventh. Chris Eggers (3-5) got the mound win with 1.0 inning of late relief, allowing three hits and two earned runs, while Marquis Frink (4) picked-up the save with the final 1.0 scoreless inning, yielding one hit with one strikeout and one walk.
Freshman Garrett Lythgoe/Chesterfield (Matoaca) (2-2) took the hard-luck pitching loss with the final 4.0 innings, scattering four hits and two unearned runs with four strikeouts and no walks. Classmate Troy Dickman/Midlothian (Midlothian) also worked 3.1 innings of relief, yielding two hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts and no walks.
