Box Score BSN HIGHLIGHTS
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Weston Jackson had three hits, including an RBI double in the second inning, and Chandler Knox gained the pitching victory, to lead Presbyterian College to a 6-5 Big South Conference baseball win at Longwood University on Saturday afternoon at Bolding Stadium in Farmville. The visiting Blue Hose (14-27-1, 6-14) rallied from an early 3-0 deficit against the Lancers (18-25, 7-13), who were led by senior captain
Alex Owens/Purcellville with four hits and two RBIs. Longwood and Presbyterian will play the finale to the three-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon, April 27 at 1 p.m. in Farmville.
Longwood scored three runs with two outs in the first inning to take an early 3-0 advantage. Junior
Brandon Delk/Newport News (1-4) reached via a wild pitch on a strikeout and sophomore
Kyri Washington/Prospect (2-5, RBI) promptly followed with an RBI double to the base of the wall in straight away center field. Senior captain
Matt Dickason/Chesapeake (0-4) drew a walk, before Owens (4-5, 2 RBIs) added an RBI single to left to plate Washington. Freshman
Alex Lewis/Burke (3-5, 2 RBI) contributed a run-scoring single to right to score Dickason.
Presbyterian scored three runs in the second inning to tie it at 3-3, but not without some controversy … Brandon Paul (1-5) reached on a single to open the frame and scored all the way from first base on the RBI double to left center field from Jackson (3-5, RBI), though it appeared that Paul was tagged out on a close play at the plate after an excellent relay throw home from the shortstop Dickason. Unfortunately, there was no umpire in position at home plate to make the call … as the umpire behind the plate had rotated to third base, leaving none of the three umpires in position to make the call. After the umpiring crew huddled for a minute or two, the runner (Paul) was ruled safe at the plate, which brought first-year Longwood head coach Brian McCullough out of the dugout for an extended argument, but to no avail. Billy Motroni (1-4, RBI) followed with another RBI double to left center to score Jackson, and after Motroni stole third, he crossed the plate on a ground ball that was misplayed at shortstop.
The Blue Hose added two more runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-3 lead. Guy Casaceli (2-3) singled, advanced to second on another fielding error at shortstop with one out, stole third and scored an unearned run via a sacrifice fly to center field from Jay Lizanich (2-4, RBI). Derek Long (0-4, RBI), who had reached on the error, later crossed the plate unearned via a single to left by Nathan Chong (1-5, RBI). PC added another run in the sixth inning for a three-run advantage. Chong reached on a fielding error at third base with one out and later scored another unearned run courtesy an RBI single up the middle by Cam McRae (2-5, RBI).
Longwood scored two runs in the ninth inning for the final one-run margin. Washington doubled to the left field fence with one out and scored with two outs on an RBI double to right center by Owens. Owens crossed the plate on an RBI single to right center from Lewis.
Junior
Brandon Vick/Newport News (4-5) started for Longwood and pitched the first 6.0 innings for the loss, yielding 11 hits and six runs, three earned, with three strikeouts and no walks. Freshman
Ryan Jones/Fredericksburg tossed the final 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with two strikeouts and no walks.
Knox (6-5) started for Presbyterian and went the first 5.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and three earned runs with five strikeouts and two walks, Ethan Wortkoetter (4) earned the save with the final 3.1 innings, scattering four hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts and no walks.
