5.13.2011

BOX SCORE

NORFOLK, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 21-14 baseball decision on the road at Norfolk State University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Friday night in Norfolk. The Lancers (28-17) were led by senior captain Brant Jones| Richmond (Monacan) with four hits, including two doubles, and four RBI against the Spartans (20-27). Longwood will play its final game of the season on Saturday afternoon, May 14, at Norfolk State beginning at 1 p.m. The season finale will not be audio-cast online via TEAMLINE due to possible weather concerns Saturday.

Longwood scored the first run of the game in the first inning for a brief 1-0 lead before Norfolk State scored five runs in the first and three runs in both the second and third innings to lead 11-1. Unfortunately, the Lancers never recovered as the Spartans would score runs in each of the first six innings with one run in the fourth, four runs in the fifth, and three more runs in the sixth to lead 19-11. Longwood kept within striking distance with three runs in the fourth, two runs in the fifth, and five runs in the sixth. The Lancers added two more runs in the eighth to make it 19-13, but NSU added two more runs in the eighth as well, before the visitors scored one final run in the ninth to provide for the final margin. The 35 combined runs are the most scored in a game this season, surpassing the 32 runs scored back on February 19 in the second game of the year when Cleveland State took a 22-10 victory at Bolding Stadium.

In the first, freshman Matt Dickason|Chesapeake (Indian River) (3-5) reached on a fielding error to open the game and later scored unearned via a throwing error. In the fourth, Jones (4-5, 4 rbi) led-off with a single ahead of sophomore Justin Lacy|Glen Allen (J.R. Tucker) (0-5) who reached on a fielding error. Jones later scored unearned on a double-play ball before junior Robby Newman|Virginia Beach (Salem) (2-5, rbi) singled to shortstop to score Lacy. Newman crossed the plate on a run-scoring double by senior captain Chris Briere|Midlothian (James River) (3-4, 2 rbi). In the fifth, Dickason drew a lead-off walk and scored on an RBI double from Jones who would later score on another throwing error.

The five-run sixth for Longwood included Newman with a one-out double while scoring on an RBI single by Briere. Freshman Alex Owens|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (0-3, rbi) followed with a walk before Dickason singled to load the bases. Freshman Adam Blankinship|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) (1-3, 3 rbi) drove-in all three with a three-run double, and scored himself on an RBI ground-rule double from Jones. In the eighth, Dickason led-off with a single followed by a pinch-hit double by freshman Zach Mihalko|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) (1-1), and both scored on a two-run single by Jones. The final run in the ninth came courtesy a sacrifice fly from Owens that scored junior Dustin Sollars|Midlothian (Cosby) (1-5) who had singled. Longwood totaled its 14 runs on 16 hits, though committing five errors in the field.

Norfolk State totaled its 21 runs on 22 hits, a season-high allowed by the Lancers, while the Spartans committed five errors in the field as well. Brandon Hairston (4-5, 5 rbi) led NSU with four hits, including a two-run home run in the sixth, and five RBI. Ryan Montgomery (3-6, 4 RBI) added three hits, including a two-run single in the fifth and an RBI double in the eighth, and four RBI. Blaze Zeilman (1-3, 4 rbi) contributed a three-run home run in the first inning en route to four RBI.

Briere (7-3) started for Longwood and took the pitching loss with the first 5.0 innings, allowing an uncharacteristic 16 hits and 16 runs, 12 earned, with three walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore Bobby Shelton|Forest (Jefferson Forest) tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, yielding one hit with one walk and one strikeout.