FARMVILLE, Va. – Just how good was Brandon Vick? Not even a line drive off the junior's shin in the top of the eighth could knock Vick out of the game as the southpaw tossed his first complete game of the season while scattering just five hits to carry Longwood past High Point 5-2 Saturday at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium.

The 6-5, 205-pound senior from Newport News entered the day 0-3 with a 7.66 ERA after enduring a tough start to the season. What happened Saturday afternoon on the mound of Buddy Bolding Stadium has been coming for some time, though, as Vick nearly broke through a week ago aginst Charleston Southern but took the tough-luck loss.

Saturday Vick (1-3) was dominant from the very start, building off his fantastic outing a week ago and finally breaking into the win column. The left-hander spun a gem, keeping the Panther bats off-balance all-afternoon long with great fastball command and a tremendous changeup and breaking ball. In his fifth complete game of his career, Vick controlled the Panthers to the tune of just two runs on five hits while fanning seven with no walks.

"Ever since I woke up this morning, my arm felt good," said Vick. "My bullpen looked good and I was confident in myself. I knew when I went out there in the first inning and got the first guy it was going to be a good day."

The Lancers would reward their pitcher's dominant performance with ample run support as the blue and white seemed to find every clutch hit that was missing a day ago. Mac McCafferty provided the first big hit with a two-out single in the fourth, capping off a three-run frame for the Lancers.

Freshman Michael Osinski, who finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, stepped up with a crucial two-out knock in the eighth, scoring Bastaich and once again making Longwood's lead three runs at 5-2.

"I thought the guys did a great job of putting yesterday behind them and treating today like a brand new day," said head coach Ryan Mau. "We came out with a lot of energy, a lot of focus and did a good job of executing offensively at the right times."

The offense was indeed clutch to support the man who was the story of the day, Brandon Vick. The senior had everything working on the hill and wowed the crowd with an electric performance to earn his first victory of the season. The seven strikeouts were the most for Vick since April 18, 2014 at VMI when the lefty tossed eight innings.

"Brandon was stellar today," said Mau. "He was outstanding and it was really fun calling pitches for him. He had all three pitches working, could throw anything in any count and did a great job against a very good offensive team in High Point."

The lone blemish on Vick's line Saturday was a two-run home run off the bat of pinch hitter Dominic Fazio which sailed just over a leaping Kyri Washington in left to produce High Point's only runs of the game. Even that, Mau claimed, was not Vick's fault.

"It wasn't even a mistake pitch in my opinion," said Mau. "I'll take the blame on that one for the pitch call."

With Vick dealing on the mound, the Lancers used a revamped lineup to scratch out five runs in the big win. Travis Biddix, who manned the designated hitter role, slid into the cleanup spot and responded with a 2-for-3 day. The senior co-captain scored the Lancers' first run of the day as he came home in the fourth as part of a three-run inning for the blue and white. Biddix opened the rally with a one-out single before Connar Bastaich followed with a blooper to right. Washington walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases for the Lancers with just one out.

While Washington was hitless in the game, he made one of the game's biggest plays as he slid hard into second breaking up a potential inning-ending double play on Osinski's ground ball. The play scored Biddix from third and then Bastaich followed home as the ensuing through sailed over first. The next batter, Mac McCafferty, who went 2-for-2 on the day, lined an RBI shot to left, capping off the three-run inning.

After High Point's two-run homer in the top of the fifth, the Lancers immediately answered with a run of their own to push the lead to two at 4-2. Brandon Delk, Longwood's leading hitter, crushed a one-out triple to right center, giving the blue and white the perfect opportunity to strike back following the home run. A batter later, Biddix delivered as the co-captain has all season long with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Delk without a throw.

The Lancers capped the scoring with an insurance run in the eighth inning after Bastaich was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two down, the rookie Osinski stepped to the plate and roped a single to right field, bringing Bastaich in for the fifth and final run of the game.

"I thought some guys really stepped up in clutch situations," said Mau. "Mixing up the lineup a little bit, obviously with Biddix in the four-hole, really paid off for us. He had a couple of great at-bats early for some singles and a sacrifice fly which was huge for us. McCafferty did a great job, getting on base three times today and Osinski, the freshman, stepping up to put an insurance run on the board was good to have."

Perhaps the only thing that put Vick into question for the complete game was a line drive off his left shin in the eighth which sent the start crumbling to the ground. After a few pitches to feel things out, the senior shrugged off the knock and climbed the hill once more. He would retire the final four men he faced, closing the door on any comeback thoughts.

"It's extremely sore," quipped Vick of his leg. "That last run over to first base wasn't the most fun, but I fought through it and I got ice on it now so we're good."

It turned out nothing could slow Vick down Saturday, not even a line drive off the plant leg could shake the veteran in a much welcomed return to form.

"This is a huge confidence builder," said Vick. "They're a great team and to be able to perform the way I did today was huge for me and for us as a team."

Longwood and High Point will conclude the series in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Sunday's contest will also be carried on the Big South Network at BigSouthSports.com.

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