April 23, 2008

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a 3-2 baseball victory past visiting Norfolk State University Wednesday night in Farmville. The Lancers improved to 21-18 while stopping a five-game losing streak as the Spartans of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) are now 13-18. Longwood is scheduled to play again on Thursday night, April 24, hosting High Point University of the Big South Conference at Lancer Stadium beginning at 7 p.m..

Longwood fell behind 2-0 in the first inning before scoring single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to claim the come-from-behind victory. The Lancers scored the decisive run in the seventh on a one-out, bases-loaded balk that allowed junior Paul Heidler II/Warrenton (Notre Dame Academy) (2-2, RBI) to cross the plate with what proved to be the winning run. Heidler had doubled down the right-field line to lead-off and advanced to third when freshman Justin Morreim/Virginia Beach (Frank W. Cox) (0-5) bunted to the pitcher who went to third but not in time. Sophomore Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1-3) was hit-by-a-pitch to load the bases before the balk.

In the fifth, sophomore Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (1-3, RBI) reached when hit-by-a-pitch, stole second base and scored on an RBI single by Heidler who had entered the game as a pinch-hitter. In the sixth, senior Nick von Gersdorff/Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (2-4) led-off with a single and later crossed the plate on an RBI single from Kimble.

Senior John Farrell/Nantucket, Mass. (Nantucket) (3-3) earned the pitching win for Longwood with the first 7.0 innings on the mound, scattering seven hits and two runs, one earned, with three strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) (4) picked-up his fourth save of the season with the final 2.0 scoreless innings, yielding just one hit with two strikeouts and no walks.

Norfolk State scored its two first-inning runs courtesy of two singles, a hit batter, and a fielding error as Brandon Hairston (2-4, RBI) contributed an RBI single. Juan Herrera (2-4) also collected two hits for the Spartans. Horace Smith (0-1) took the pitching loss in relief, facing three batters and allowing one hit and one earned run while hitting a batter.

Longwood and Norfolk State played four games this season as the Lancers took three of the four contests, and now lead the overall series between the two schools in baseball since 1979 at 17-13.