February 27, 2010

GAME ONE BOX SCORE

GAME TWO BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University swept its season-opening baseball doubleheader from visiting Binghamton University at Bolding Stadium Saturday afternoon in Farmville, winning the first game 9-8 in dramatic fashion before taking the second game 6-1. The Lancers (2-0) rallied from an early 7-0 deficit in the opener with six runs in their final two at bats, scoring the winning run in the ninth inning with one out as senior David Smiy Jr./Chesterfield (Matoaca) singled down the right field line to score junior Brant Jones/Richmond (Monacan) who had drawn a lead-off walk for the exciting come-from-behind win. In the nightcap, senior Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) and freshman Bobby Shelton/Forest (Jefferson Forest) combined on a five-hitter, and sophomore Robby Newman/Virginia Beach (Salem) hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to secure the twinbill sweep. Longwood and Binghamton (0-2) will play the three-game series finale on Sunday at Bolding Stadium beginning at 12 p.m..

In game one, Longwood fell behind 7-0 in the fourth inning before rallying back with a run in the fourth, two more runs in the sixth, five runs in the eighth, and the game-winner in the ninth. In the fourth, Jones (1-3, RBI) walked and moved to third on a single by senior Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (3-4) before scoring on a ground ball double-play. In the sixth, Jones hit a one-out solo home run to left field, Cerreto reached on a single and moved to third on a single by senior Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (2-4), and scored on a fielder's choice RBI from Smiy (2-4, 2 RBI). In the eighth, Newman (1-4, 3 RBI) provided a one-out three-run double to left center field scoring Cerreto (single), Havers (single), and Smiy (walk). Freshman Justin Lacy/Glen Allen (J.R. Tucker) (1-2, RBI) added a run-scoring triple to center field that scored Newman, and with two outs, crossed the plate on a balk to tie the game at 8-8. In the ninth, Jones again walked, moved to second on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt from Cerreto, and after an intentional walk was issued to Havers, Smiy promptly drove the game-winning hit down the right field line for the dramatic last at bat victory. It was an appropriate ending for Smiy as his mother, Brenda, threw-out the first pitch to open the season in recognition of her many photographic contributions to the program.

Sophomore Mark Montgomery/Williamsburg (Bruton) (1-0) earned the pitching win with the final shutout inning, striking-out two. Junior Chris Briere/Midlothian (James River)?had started and pitched the first 5.0 innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs, all earned, with four strikeouts and three walks.

Dave Ciocchi (3-5, 3 RBI) and Henry Dunn (2-5, 2 RBI) led Binghamton at the plate, while Alex Adami (0-1) took the mound loss with the final 1.0-plus inning, yielding two hits and two runs, both earned, with two strikeouts and two walks.

In game two, the first-year southpaw Shelton started and pitched 3.2 innings while scattering four hits and one run, earned, with two strikeouts and one walk. Harting (1-0) pitched the final 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts and one walk. The Lancers scored single runs in the first, second, and fourth innings before adding three runs in the fifth. In the first, Jones (1-3) doubled and scored on a single from Havers (1-3, RBI). In the second, senior Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (2-3) doubled, stole third, and scored on a double by classmate Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (3-4, 2 RBI). In the fourth, Bailey added an RBI single, while in the fifth, Newman (2-3, 3 RBI) hit his towering three-run homer well beyond the fence to the parking lot at the top of the hill.

Corey Taylor (2-3) and Dunn (1-2, RBI) led the Bearcats at the plate, while Mike Augliera (0-1) started and took the mound loss with the first 4.0 innings, yielding seven hits and three runs, two earned, with four strikeouts and one walk.