FARMVILLE, Va. – The sixth inning has been the magic frame for Longwood so far this season and Tuesday was no different as the Lancers sent 11 men to the plate on their way to seven runs on five hits to blow open a one-run game and cruise to a 13-7 victory over Norfolk State at Buddy Bolding Stadium.

After 17 games away from Farmville to open the year, Longwood (7-11) exploded with 13 runs on 13 hits to light up the scoreboard in the Lancers' home opener. Five Lancers had multi-hit games helping the blue and white score 12 times in the middle three innings on its way to a come-from-behind victory.

Freshman Michael Catlin (3-0) picked up the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings striking out one and walking a pair. The southpaw shut down the Norfolk State (4-6) bats in the fourth and fifth innings, holding the Spartans without a hit while the Longwood attack kicked into high gear.

The middle of Longwood's order brought the sticks this evening as Brandon Delk, Connar Bastaich and Michael Osinski combined to go 8-for-15 with six RBI out of the four, five and six holes in the lineup. Delk finished with his team-best ninth multi-hit game, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and another three runs scored. Bastaich likewise finished 3-for-5 and drove home a pair of runs in his seventh multi-hit game while Osinski ended the night 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored.

While it may have come much later than scheduled or anticipated, Longwood made the most of its home opener in front of a great crowd at the renovated Buddy Bolding Stadium.

"I think it shows we're excited to be home," said head coach Ryan Mau. "It's been a long time, 17 games away from Farmville, and it's just good to be back here and in front of a great crowd tonight."

Mitchell Kuebbing got the ball for the Lancers and worked three innings in his first start of the season. The sophomore right-hander needed only nine pitches to work a clean first inning, but ran into a bit of trouble in the second and third.

Norfolk State took a 1-0 lead on back-to-back hits to open the second, getting a double from Robbie Hiser who scored when Angel Rosario singled up the middle. The Spartans would tack on another run an inning later on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Roger Hall.

"I thought Mitchell was just okay today," said Mau. "He kind of toughed one out and battled through it without his best stuff."

With Norfolk State leading and Longwood showing little at the plate through three innings, the Lancers turned to the rookie Catlin out of the bullpen. The 6-4, 200-pound left-hander immediately settled the game, locking down the Spartans in the fourth and fifth frames and setting the table for Longwood's comeback.

"Catlin did an outstanding job of coming right in there and kind of calming things down for us," said Mau.

The crack was all Longwood needed as the Lancers broke through in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Center fielder Colton Konvicka walked to lead off in the bottom half and immediately stole second. Senior co-captain and designated hitter Travis Biddix followed with a nine-pitch walk in which he fouled off three, two-strike offerings. Once Konvicka and Biddix advanced on a wild pitch, the Spartans intentionally walked Kyri Washington. It was the first of two times that Washington would be put on with the intentional free-pass.

With the bases loaded, the middle of the order went to work. Delk ripped a hard ground ball to the right side which deflected off the glove of the diving Spartan first baseman. The Lancers nearly tied it on a wild play in which a wild pitch sparked mass hysteria on the base paths. Biddix hesitated on the wild pitch and decided to hold at third, but Delk broke from first and was caught in no man's land. The Lancer right fielder created a rundown and Biddix attempted to score in the confusion, but was cut down on a bang-bang play at the plate.

Norfolk State was forced to bring on Troy Applin (0-1) to pitch after Lane Ward was injured applying the tag to Biddix. The Lancers decided to apply the pressure with the new pitcher on the mound as Washington and Delk initiated a double steal. Longwood leveled the game as the throw to third sailed well wide of the bag and into left field, allowing Washington to cross the plate.

An inning later, the Lancers would take their first lead of the game, courtesy of Mac McCafferty. Longwood's catcher has battled nagging injuries, a heavy workload and an early-season slump, but none of those showed as the left-handed hitter ripped a double down the right field line. McCafferty's knock drove home Brandon Harvell all the way from first as Longwood took the lead for good. After entering the game hitting just .106, McCafferty finished Tuesday's game 2-for-3 with two RBI and one big smile on his face.

"It was definitely good," said the sophomore backstop of his night. "Coach is always telling me to keep positive and I worked on a couple of things, staying back and that really helped me. Even the last few games when I haven't broken through, I've really been seeing the ball better."

While McCafferty slugged Longwood into the lead, the rest of his teammates were sure to capitalize on their chance to chip in and put the game away. In the sixth inning, Longwood would spin the merry-go-round into full effect, watching 11 men step to plate en route to a seven-spot on the scoreboard. Bastaich opened the frame with a double down the right field line which was followed by a bunt single from Osinski. That's when McCafferty hammered his second RBI-knock of the evening with a single through the left side, scoring Bastaich from third.

The Lancers would continue the inning with the help of a Norfolk State error and score an additional six runs, all unearned in the inning. The blue and white got a sacrifice fly from Biddix to make it a 9-5 game before back-to-back, two-run singles off the bats of Delk and Bastaich jumped Longwood to a 12-4 advantage.

"The offense really led us tonight," said Mau. "We really stuck with our approach and just continued to put runs up and never took our foot off the gas."

Norfolk State pulled three runs back in the top off the seventh off of Ryan Jones and Zach Potojecki. Jones battled through an off-night on the mound as the Spartans tagged the sidearm-hurler for four runs on two hits in an inning of work, including a two-run blast in the sixth from Robbie Depp.  After Jones issued a walk and hit a batter in the seventh, Potojecki came on as the fourth Lancer pitcherof the evening. Potojecki would work the final three innings giving up just a single run on two hits while punching out five to earn his first career save.

"Jones unfortunately was not himself tonight," Mau said. "We expect more from and he expects more from himself and he'll get the ball again in those key situations, but just wasn't able to help us tonight. Potojecki came in and did a great job and I'm proud of him and the way he threw the fastball and filled up the zone with a big lead."

At the end of the day, Tuesday was a much-needed win after a tough weekend at Campbell and an overdue opportunity to play in front of the home crowd at Buddy Bolding Stadium. It was a sentiment McCafferty and all his teammates shared with coach Mau.

"We definitely needed to get this win to get the week going," said McCafferty. "It was awesome to be at home, just the energy coming out here and not being on the bus had everyone ready to go."

Longwood will hit the road for its second midweek game at North Carolina A&T on Wednesday night. The Lancers and Aggies will square off at War Memorial Stadium in Greensboro, N.C. at 6 p.m.