FARMVILLE, VA. – C.J. Roth struck a single to right field to bring in the game-winning run for Longwood in the bottom of the 10th inning for Longwood's fifth walk-off win of the season, this one a 6-5 win over Savannah State Saturday evening at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
Roth's second hit of the day, a walk-off single to right, drove in the third run of the 10th inning for Longwood (21-15, 7-5 Big South), which came after Savannah State (9-27, 4-8 MEAC) scored a pair of runs in the top half of the extra frame. Longwood's three-run home half of the 10th came on two hits, three walks, two bases-loaded walks, and a sacrifice bunt beat out for a fielder's choice to load the bases.
 
"I'm just very proud of the effort at the end," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said after his team rallied to win Saturday. "We failed to execute and cash in on opportunities early on in the game, which made that for an interesting ending."
 
In the bottom of the 10th inning with the game tied, the bases loaded, one out, and two runs already across, Roth calmly waited for a good pitch to hit and ripped a 3-1 offering through the right side to improve Longwood's record in extra-inning games to 4-1. The late-inning heroics for Roth, the senior captain, clinched Longwood a win in the series against the Tigers.
 
"[Roth] is our sparkplug and he's our leader," Mau said. "He represents the program the right way in every facet of his life."
 
Roth contributed with a 2-for-5 game at the plate and also put down a sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning that moved sophomore Sammy Miller into scoring position before Miller stole third and scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch later in the frame.
 
The insanity of the final innings did not affect the record of Longwood starter Steven Farkas (2-1). The freshman lefty dazzled, setting a career high with 12 strikeouts, seven more than his previous high, and received no decision in a quality start. Farkas allowed three runs on four hits in his first two innings and then settled in to retire 17 of the final 19 batters he faced, including 10 in a row from the final out of the second through the end of the fifth.
 
"[Farkas] had a shaky start and he made a few mental mistakes early that led to some runs," Mau said. "I'm really proud of the composure he showed. He settled down and threw the ball tremendously tonight and gave us an opportunity to win. I thought his fastball command really picked up after the first couple of innings and he continued to get stronger as the game went on."
 
In all the southpaw tossed 7.2 innings of three-run ball on four hits with one walk and struck out 12 batters, the most by any Lancer pitcher in a single game this season and two shy of the school record. The quality start was the 12th of the season by a Longwood pitcher and the Lancers hold an 11-1 record when the starter tosses a quality start.
 
"I didn't get it started as early as I could've, but we got it done in the end," Farkas said after his career game. "Seeing hitters frustrated like they were today was awesome. That's a confidence booster. Today was the type of game I can build on moving forward."
 
Devin Gould (2-1) picked up the win in relief of Farkas and after tossing 2.1 innings out of the bullpen and became the pitcher of record in the final inning. Ryan McCranie (1-4), who started the game as the catcher, took the loss after allowing the eventual tying and winning runs to reach with just one out recorded in his outing.
 
Miller was impressive at the plate for Longwood. The lead-off hitter reached safely six times in the win, besting the team-high of five that Miller set earlier in the week at No. 25 Virginia. Miller was officially 2-for-2 with a single and a double, scored two runs, was hit by pitch twice, and walked twice, the second a bases-loaded walk that tied the game in the 10th inning.
 
"[Miller] does an unbelievable job in the lead-off role," Mau said. "He understands that role. He does a great job of seeing pitches, putting together quality at-bats, and finding a way to get 90 feet any way he can."
 
Miller, Roth, and Connar Bastaich each had multi-hit games as the 1-2-3 hitters in the Longwood order. Bastaich, a senior first baseman, picked up his fourth and fifth hits of the series on a pair of singles in the win. Bastaich has recorded four consecutive multi-hit games and raised his average to a season-high .321 thanks to the hot stretch.
 
Michael Osinski, Drew Kitson, and Brandon Harvell all reached base multiple times Saturday. Osinski picked up a hit, drew a walk, and scored a pair of runs. Kitson was 1-for-2 at the plate with a game-high three walks in the win. The Lancer third baseman, Harvell, was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, one a bases-loaded walk in the 10th, and scored the winning run on Roth's game-ending single.
 
The 10th inning was odd. Gould allowed three walks, a balk, a single, and a wild pitch as a part of a multi-run inning for Savannah State, which gave the Tigers a two-run lead.
 
In the bottom of the frame Savannah State relief pitcher Rex Davis walked Osinski to start the inning and the Tigers called upon their starting catcher and ERA leader, McCranie, to nail down the save. McCranie allowed Kitson to single to left and pinch-hitter Colton Konvicka to reach on a sacrifice bunt and fielder's choice. With runners on first and second Konvicka, who had missed the previous 13 games with an injury, put down a sacrifice bunt, but the Tigers tried to get a force out at third, beat out by Osinski. Harvell then drew a walk to bring Longwood's deficit to 5-4. Jon Peterson then reached on a fielder's choice with a force out at the plate, ending McCranie's night. Longwood's Friday night starting pitcher Travis Burnette, who pinch ran for Konvicka at first base, scored the tying run on Miller's bases-loaded walk, one batter before Roth ended the game with his RBI single through the right side.
 
The Lancers may have gotten an assist in the 10th inning by virtue of playing at home where the Lancers have 16 wins, the most since Longwood was 16-14 at home in 2012.
 
"We knew it would be a tough environment [for Savannah State] to throw strikes in with our dugout and crowd behind us at home," Mau said. "We were just trying to get something over the white and we took advantage of some free passes late. It was great to see C.J. step up and deliver the winner."
 
Longwood improved to 16-5 at home on the season and clinched its fourth win in the final at-bat of an extra-inning game. The Lancers will try for the sweep of Savannah State Sunday at noon with Luke Simpson (0-1) expected to get the start opposite of Tiger southpaw Trevor McKenna (1-3). First pitch at Buddy Bolding Stadium is set for 12 p.m.
 
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