NORFOLK, VA. – Alex Lewis led a quartet of Lancers with multi-hit games as Longwood knocked off Norfolk State, 13-5, sweeping the season series Tuesday at Marty L. Miller Field.
 
A new look to the lineup for Longwood (24-18, 8-7 Big South) resulted in immediate returns for the Lancers as they struck for a pair in the top of the first inning and never trailed at Norfolk State (20-17, 13-4 MEAC).
 
"I thought we did a great job of executing offensively," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said. "We grabbed runs early with some situational hitting and then we were able to pull away with some big runs late in the game. We talk about trying to continue to extend the lead and I thought we did an outstanding job of that tonight."
 
Longwood outhit Norfolk State 12-5 in the win. The seven-hit advantage was the largest difference in hits for Longwood in a win this season.
 
"Offensively it was good for us to get going after we had been struggling a little bit as of late," Mau said. "The confidence is starting to come back."
 
The Lancers changed up the batting order, taking Sammy Miller out the lead-off spot with C.J. Roth hitting first, Connar Bastaich in the two-hole, Lewis batting third, with Miller sliding to the seventh spot in the lineup. Bastaich, Lewis, Miller, and Brandon Harvell each had multiple hits for Longwood.
 
Tyler Wirsu (1-1) was a winner for the first time at Longwood and picked up his second quality start of the season. The right-handed junior college transfer spun 7.1 innings of three-run ball, scattering five hits with four strikeouts to just two walks. Cooper Jones (2-3) took the loss for Norfolk State after allowing four runs, three earned, in 3.2 innings of work.
 
"I thought [Wirsu] was excellent," Mau said. "I thought he had really good fastball command, was able to put his curveball in the zone, and the slider was working. I thought he competed for us tonight and was just an outstanding outing."
 
At the plate Lewis was money for Longwood. The junior third baseman finished 2-for-6 with a double and three RBI. It was the 16th multi-hit game of the season for Lewis and his team-leading 11th multi-RBI game. Lewis leads the team with 38 RBI.
 
Bastaich picked up his team-leading 17th multi-hit game of the season in the win. The senior first baseman was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt. Bastaich doubled and scored a run with a stolen base in the win. Longwood stole five bases in the victory, tied for the most in a single game this season.
 
"Once we recognized we could take extra bases we made the decision to start grabbing bags as they were there for the taking," Mau said. "The guys did a great job getting good jumps and putting themselves into scoring position. Offensively I can't say enough about our execution with situational hitting."
 
Miller provided a spark out of the seven spot in the win. After spending the previous 38 games in the lead-off spot, the sophomore gave way to Roth, who led off for the first time since the opening weekend of the season at East Carolina.
 
"We're just looking to get [Miller] going," Mau said. "I thought he did a much better job down in the lineup. Hopefully he'll continue to produce and to find his way back to the top."
 
Miller continued to reach base in the victory, reaching base four times in a 2-for-3 effort with a walk and hit by pitch. Miller also stole a base, his team-leading 15th of the season, and scored three runs.
 
Roth, who entered the ninth inning without a hit, put an exclamation mark on the win with a three-run home run to right. The home run was the second of the career for Longwood's captain. Roth also walked twice and scored three times out of the lead-off spot.
 
"[Roth] has been steady for us all year," Mau said. "I was really excited to see him get a hold of that one late."
 
Harvell hit ninth, but took advantage of plenty of opportunities at the plate. The junior third baseman was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Harvell doubled, stole a pair of bases, and scored a run in the win.
 
"Offensively I thought Brandon Harvell had a great night as far as executing," Mau said. "It was a great homecoming for him."
 
Harvell and Roth, a fellow Yorktown, Va., native, each had strong games in Norfolk, which is less than an hour south of Yorktown. Between RBI and runs scored the duo accounted for nine of the 13 runs.
 
Longwood tied its season high in runs, scoring 13 runs on 12 hits and nine walks. Roth, Bastaich, and Michael Osinski each drew two walks in the win.
 
Longwood used four pitchers in the win, beginning with Wirsu and then throwing Devin Gould, Garrett Paul in his season pitching debut, and finally Eric Harp.
 
"It was good to see Devin Gould bounce back after a shaky one this weekend," Mau said. "I thought his fastball command and velocity were back and he showed his slider. It was also good to see Eric Harp there finish it off and take advantage of an opportunity."
 
The game at Norfolk State was the final regular season game against a team from Virginia for Longwood. The Lancers finish the regular season 7-4 against in-state competition.
 
Longwood returns to conference play with a weekend series at Presbyterian that begins Friday. First pitch at the PC Baseball Complex.

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