Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Sophomore Travis Burnette/Lynchburg had a career-high five RBIs to lead Longwood University to a 13-7 non-conference baseball victory past James Madison University of the Colonial Athletic Association on Tuesday evening at Bolding Stadium in Farmville. Burnette had two hits and a sacrifice fly, while senior captains Matt Dickason/Chesapeake and Alex Owens/Purcellville each added two RBIs for the host Lancers (21-31), who led 8-0 after three innings, against the visiting Dukes (16-32).  Longwood will return to Big South Conference action this weekend with its final three-game regular-season series at South Division opponent Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina that begins on Thursday night, May 15 at 7:15 p.m.
    
Longwood took an early 3-0 advantage with three runs in the second inning, while sending eight batters to the plate.  Senior Scott Burkett/Williamsburg (3-6) got things started with a single and stole second base.  Freshman Alex Lewis/Burke (1-4, RBI) walked before Owens (3-3, 2 RBIs), who had three hits, singled to left center field to score Burkett.  Freshman Mac McCafferty/Stevens, Pennsylvania (1-3, RBI) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, still with no outs.  Following a strikeout, Burnette (2-3, 5 RBIs) lined a two-run single into right that plated both Lewis and Owens.
    
The Lancers added five more runs in the third inning to lead 8-0, while sending 10 batters to the plate.  Dickason (2-5, 2 RBIs), who had two hits, walked to lead off, moved to second on a single from Burkett and scored on an RBI single to left field from Lewis.  Owens followed with an RBI single to right that scored Burkett, McCafferty added a run-scoring single to right that plated Lewis and freshman Brandon Harvell/Yorktown (1-3) walked to load the base again … all still with no outs.  Burnette scored Owens with an RBI ground ball to shortstop, and sophomore Colton Konvicka/Richmond (1-6, RBI) reached on a fielding error at second base that plated McCafferty.
    
JMU got on the scoreboard with three runs in the fifth inning to make it 8-3. Tyler Gregory (3-4) singled to open the at bat, followed by a walk to Kevin Husum (0-4).  Following a pair of fly ball outs, Josh Wyatt (0-2) walked to load the bases for Ty McFarland (1-4, 3 RBI), who hit a three-run double to the base of the wall in center field.
    
Longwood scored single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, to lead 10-3.  In the fifth, Burnette walked to open the at bat and later scored on a fielder's choice RBI off the bat of sophomore Kyri Washington/Prospect (0-5, RBI),  In the sixth, Owens walked, stole second and later crossed the plate courtesy a sacrifice fly RBI to right field from Burnette.
    
The Dukes added a pair of runs in the eighth inning to make it 10-5.  Conner Brown (3-5, 2 RBIs) doubled to the left field corner to lead off and later scored when Nick Merullo (0-3, RBI) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  Kyle Weston (0-4), who had been hit by a pitch earlier during the at bat, also crossed the plate on an RBI single to center by pinch-hitter Bobby San Martin (1-1, RBI).
    
The Lancers added three more runs in the eighth for a 13-5 advantage.  Owens walked to start the at bat and moved to third on a single through the right side by Harvell.  Burnette followed with an RBI single through the left side to score Owens, and after a fielder's choice by Konvicka, Washington was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Dickason promptly hit a two-run single to left field to score both Harvell and Konvicka.
    
JMU scored two runs in the ninth inning for the final six-run margin.  McFarland walked to open the frame and scored ahead of Brown, who hit a two-run home run to left field to close out the scoring.
    
Sophomore Allen Ellis/Mechanicsville (2-1) started for Longwood on a staff day and pitched the first 4.2 innings for the win, scattering five hits and three earned runs with three strikeouts and two walks.  Three others pitched for the Lancers, including Burkett, who tossed 2.1 innings of middle relief and allowed four hits and one earned run with one strikeout and no walks.
    
Michael Howerton (2-3) was the second of six JMU pitchers on a staff day and went 1.0-plus innings for the loss, yielding seven hits and eight earned runs with two strikeouts and three walks.
    
Longwood and James Madison were playing for the 25th time and the Dukes still lead the all-time series, 15-10.  The Lancers did avenge a 14-7 setback at JMU back on February 19.