Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Freshman
Mac McCafferty/Stevens, Pennsylvania had three RBI, including the game-winner in the 12th inning, while senior
Scott Burkett/Williamsburg had three hits and also earned the pitching win, to lead Longwood University to an 8-7 Big South Conference baseball victory past Charleston Southern University on Sunday at Bolding Stadium in Farmville. The walk-off win gave the host Lancers (11-10, 2-1 Big South) the series win (2-1) against the visiting South Division Buccaneers (14-7, 1-2 Big South), who got three hits and an RBI from Sam Remick. Longwood is scheduled to play a non-conference game at the College of William and Mary of the Colonial Athletic Association on Wednesday night, March 19 at 7 p.m. in Williamsburg.
Charleston Southern took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, scoring two runs with two outs, as Chase Shelton (1-2) was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a single by Nick Berry (2-6), and both runners scored on a single to right field by Andrew Widell (2-4, RBI) that was misplayed to allow the second unearned run across the plate. The Buccaneers added two more runs in the second inning to lead 4-0, getting a one-out walk to Brian Welch (2-5, RBI) that was followed by consecutive singles from Remick (3-5, RBI) and Nate Blanchard (1-6) to load the bases. Alex Tomasovich (2-5, 2 RBI) promptly followed with a single down the right field line to score both Welch and Remick.
Longwood answered with four runs on three hits along with two walks in the second inning to tie it at 4-4. Burkett (3-5) and sophomore
Colton Konvicka/Richmond (2-5) opened with singles before a fielder's choice by freshman
Alex Lewis/Burke (3-6, RBI) had Burkett on third. A walk to freshman
Brandon Harvell/Yorktown (0-2) loaded the bases, and a walk to McCafferty (1-3, 3 RBI) plated Burkett. Senior captain
Matt Dickason/Chesapeake (2-5, 2 RBI) followed with a two-run double to the corner in right field to score Lewis and Harvell, and McCafferty crossed the plate on a ground ball from sophomore
Kyri Washington/Prospect (0-6, RBI). The Lancers took a 5-4 lead in the third inning after a one-out double by Burkett, who scored on a two-out RBI single from Lewis.
Charleston Southern scored a run in the fifth inning to tie it again at 5-5, getting a clutch two-out, RBI single from Remick (on a 3-2 pitch) to score Widell, who had walked with one out ahead of a two-out single by Welch to keep the at-bat alive for Remick.
Longwood scored two runs on two hits in the eighth inning to go back in front, 7-5. Senior captain
Alex Owens/Purcellville (0-4) walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Burkett. Konvicka followed with another walk and an infield single by Lewis loaded the bases. Sophomore
C.J. Roth/Yorktown (1-2, RBI) came through with a pinch-hit single that scored Owens and McCafferty followed with another bases-loaded walk that plated Konvicka.
Charleston Southern, however, managed two runs in the ninth inning to once-again knot the game … this time at 7-7. Shelton walked to open the frame and was pinch-run for by Austin Hicks, who advanced to second on a single by Berry, and both runners moved along on a sacrifice by Widell, before Matt Witt (0-0, RBI) pinch hit and produced a sacrifice fly RBI to score Hicks. Welch followed with a run-scoring single to score Berry with the tying run, at the time.
Longwood finally won it in the 12th inning when Konvicka singled to right field to lead off, moved to second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on a ground ball to the right side by Lewis. Roth was walked intentionally, and McCafferty provided the dramatic ending with his walk-off RBI single through the right side to score Konvicka with the game-winning run.
Burkett (2-0) pitched the final 3.0 shutout innings for Longwood to earn the win, yielding just one hit with one strikeout and one walk. Sophomore
Allen Ellis/Mechanicsville had started for the Lancers and tossed the first 2.0 innings, yielding five hits and four runs, three earned, with two strikeouts and one walk. Freshman
Mitchell Kuebbing/Burlington, Kentucky pitched 5.0 effective innings of relief, scattering seven hits and one earned run with four strikeouts and one walk.
Joe Pistacchio (1-1) pitched the final 1.2 innings for Charleston Southern and took the loss, allowing two hits and the one earned run with one strikeout and one walk. Andrew Tomasovich had started for the Buccaneers and went 5.0 innings, yielding seven hits and five earned runs with six strikeouts and two walks.
Longwood and Charleston Southern were meeting for the first time, as the Lancers now lead the young series, 2-1.
