5.8.2012

BOX SCORE

NORFOLK, Va. – Longwood University took a 9-7 come-from-behind baseball victory on the road at in-state school Old Dominion University of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tuesday night in Norfolk.  The Lancers (23-19) rallied from an early five-run deficit and were led by freshman Brandon Delk|Newport News (Warwick) with two hits and four RBI, and sophomore Scott Burkett|Williamsburg (Jamestown) added two hits and two RBI, while senior captain Matt Gwaltney|Chesterfield (Matoaca) gained the pitching win against the Monarchs (18-29).  The scheduled game at Norfolk State University on May 9 was canceled due to weather.  Longwood will play again on Monday night, May 14, at the College of William and Mary of the CAA in Williamsburg at 7 p.m.

Longwood trailed 6-1 through five innings before rallying over the final four innings toward the road triumph.  The Lancers scored a run in the third when Burkett (2-4, 2 RBI) doubled to score freshman Travis Biddix|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) (2-4) who had reached on a fielder's choice.  Longwood added two runs in the sixth as Delk (2-4, 4 RBI) had a two-run single to plate senior captain Robby Newman|Virginia Beach (Salem) (1-4, RBI) and Gwaltney (1-3, RBI) who had doubled and walked, respectively.  The Lancers took their first lead with four runs in the seventh behind another RBI double by Burkett again scored Biddix who had singled, a sacrifice fly from sophomore captain Matt Dickason|Chesapeake (Indian River) (2-3, RBI) plated freshman Joey Varaksa|Charlottesville (Albemarle) (2-4) who had singled as well, and the second two-run single of the night by Delk to score Burkett and junior Justin Lacy|Glen Allen (J.R. Tucker) (0-3) who had walked.  The visitors added two insurance runs in the eighth after Newman added a sacrifice fly to score Biddix (three runs scored) who had walked, and Gwaltney provided a run-scoring single to plate Burkett who had also walked.

Gwaltney (2-4) started and gained the pitching win for Longwood with the first 6.0 innings, scattering nine hits and four earned runs with three walks and one strikeout.  Freshman Aaron Myers|Newport News (Denbigh) tossed the final 3.0 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run with no walks and two strikeouts for the save (3).

Old Dominion scored two runs in the second, aided by an error and an RBI grounder by Kenneth Belgrave (1-4, 3 RBI).  The Monarchs added a run in the third on a run-scoring double from Austin McGowan (2-4, RBI), and Belgrave contributed a two-run home run in the fourth.  ODU scored a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Brian Bashara (1-3, 2 RBI), and added its final run in the ninth courtesy a run-scoring single from Joey Burney (1-4, RBI).  C.J. Huyett (1-4) took the mound loss for the hosts with one-third of an inning of relief, allowing three hits and four earned runs with one walk and no strikeouts.

Longwood won its third-straight game against Old Dominion over the past four seasons, though the Monarchs still lead the all-time series between the two schools at 7-4 since first playing in 1988.