May 15, 2010

BOX SCORE GAME ONE

BOX SCORE GAME TWO

NORFOLK, Va. -- Longwood University swept a baseball doubleheader at Norfolk State University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Saturday at Miller Field in Norfolk. The Lancers (25-18) rallied with three runs in the ninth inning of the opener to take an 8-7 come-from-behind win against the Spartans (19-26-1) before scoring seven runs in the first two innings of the nightcap en route to an 11-4 triumph. Senior Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) collected three hits and six RBI during the sweep of the afternoon twinbill, while classmate Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) remained perfect on the mound this season with his ninth victory. It marks the program's 22nd overall 25-win season. Longwood and Norfolk State will play the three-game weekend series finale on Sunday, May 16, in Norfolk beginning at 1 p.m..

In the opener, Norfolk State scored three runs in the first inning for an early 3-0 lead. Longwood scored two runs in the third to close to within 3-2 but the Spartans added another run in the third to lead 4-2. The Lancers scored a run in the fourth to make it 4-3 but NSU scored a run in the fifth to lead 5-3. LU tied it at 5-5 with two runs in the sixth but the hosts again scored runs in the seventh and eighth to lead 7-5. The visitors were down to their last out in the ninth when Havers (1-4, RBI) hit a two-out, RBI single to make it a one-run game before classmate David Smiy Jr./Chesterfield (Matoaca) (1-5, 2 RBI) provided the game-winning hit with a two-run single.

Senior Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (2-5, 2 RBI) had a two-run home run in the third for this third homer this year. Classmate Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (2-4, RBI) added a solo homer run in the fourth for his fifth homer. Sophomore Robby Newman/Virginia Beach (Salem) (2-3, 2 RBI) had a two-run double in the sixth. Freshman Kyler Morgan/Lancaster, Pa. (Lampeter-Strasburg) (5-1) earned the pitching win with the final 2.0 innings, allowing five hits and two runs, both earned, with one strikeout and one walk. Sophomore Mark Montgomery/Williamsburg (Bruton) (6) collected his sixth save with the final shutout inning, yielding no hits with one strikeout and no walks.

Norfolk State was led in game one by Chris Joyce (3-4, 2 RBI), John Lynch (2-4, RBI), and Cameron Parsons (2-5, RBI). Ryan Shook (3-3) took the mound loss with the final 1.1 innings, allowing four hit and three runs, all earned, with one strikeout and out walk.

In the nightcap, Longwood scored three runs in the first and four more runs in the second for the quick 7-0 advantage. Norfolk State scored runs in fourth and fifth to make it 7-2 but the Lancers added two runs in the sixth and seventh to lead 11-2. The Spartans scored two runs in the seventh as well for the final seven-run margin.

Havers (2-4, 5 RBI) got it started in the first with an RBI ground ball, followed by an RBI single from senior Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1-3, RBI), and another RBI ground ball by Bailey (0-4, RBI). In the second, Havers delivered the big hit with a three-run triple down the right field line, while Smiy (2-4, RBI) added a fielder's choice RBI. In the sixth, freshman Scott Laabs/Glen Allen (Deep Run) (1-3) was hit by a pitch and later scored on a throwing error before Havers added an RBI double. In the seventh, Smiy doubled and later scored on another throwing error while freshman Justin Lacy/Glen Allen (J.R. Tucker) (0-4, RBI) added an RBI ground ball as well. Kimble (2-4) and junior Brant Jones/Richmond (Monacan) (2-2) each added two hits for the Lancers.

Harting (9-0) gained his ninth victory and fourth complete-game effort on the mound, pitching 7.0 innings and scattering eight hits and four runs, three earned, tying his career-high with eight strikeouts and also had two walks. Havers and Jones (1-5 in game one) each extended their respective hitting streaks to 22 and 18 games -- Havers' streak is the team's longest this year and third-best in the 33-year history of the program while Jones' streak is fourth-best. Each kept their streaks alive with ninth inning hits in the opener.

Norfolk State was led by John Rasberry (3-3) and Zaine Jack (1-1, 2 RBI) with a home run while Chase Davenport (4-5) took the pitching loss with the first 2.0 innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs, all earned, with one strikeout and two walks.