FARMVILLE, VA. – C.J. Roth homered and was one of six Lancers with multi-hit games as Longwood had a season-high 15 hits in a 7-4 win on senior day against UNC Asheville Sunday afternoon at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
The Lancers got more magic in what has been a magical season for Longwood (27-20, 11-9 Big South). The Lancers trailed at two different points in the game, but a three-run sixth inning gave Longwood the lead for good. Nine different players reached safely in the win as the Lancers picked up the 20th win of the season at home, the 21st win when trailing at any point in the game, and outhit UNC Asheville (15-29, 5-12) 15-9 in Sunday. The victory brings the Lancers within one of the school record in the Division-I era.
 
"[Roth] got us going on the very first pitch today. When I asked the guys to give us a bit more offense early in the game I didn't think we'd get it so early," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said after the win. "It was good to see our bats today do what they're capable of doing. Our approach was really good, we looked comfortable, we were confident, and we put some really good swings on the ball."
 
With the win the Lancers are 15-2 when picking up 10 or more hits and 18-3 when outhitting their opponent.
 
"It was a team effort today offensively," Mau said. "As a unit we looked great. [Roth] set the tone for us today and everyone followed. It was an outstanding performance all the way around."

Roth, Longwood's senior captain, started the game off with a bang by hitting a home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning. It was just the third home run of the season for the Yorktown, Va., native and the first done at home for the senior.
 
"I was pretty ecstatic seeing that ball go over the fence, I can't lie," Roth said after the game. "It's always fun when you do it, especially when you haven't done it in four years and you do it three times in one season. To lead off senior day like that was something special."
 
Roth has hit three career home runs, all coming this season. The senior second baseman finished the game 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored with a stolen base.
 
Cody Wager (3-3) picked up the win for Longwood after tossing 3.0 innings of relief and holding Asheville to one run on four hits with one walk. Tyler Hughes (1-2) allowed three runs in the sixth inning with just two outs recorded and was hit with the loss for Asheville. Cody Boydstun nailed down the save, his team-leading fifth, after collecting all three outs in the ninth inning.
 
"Cody Wager did a good job allowing us to hang around," Mau said. "I'm really proud of the effort Cody Boydstun gave us. It's a tough situation for a freshman to come into with the tying run at the plate and get the save."
 
Bodystun entered the game with no outs and a pair of runners on, facing the top of the Bulldog lineup. The freshman right-hander induced a pop out and a ground ball double play to end the game and earn the save, his first since March 6.
 
In addition to Roth, seniors Connar Bastaich and Colton Konvicka were in the starting lineup for Longwood. Konvicka, who has missed most of the season due to injury, made his first start since March 24. After the first at-bat of the game, the Richmond, Va., native was replaced in center field by Sammy Miller.
 
Bastaich was one of six Lancers to drive in a run in the win and also scored a run for Longwood. The senior first baseman from Midlothian, Va., finished the day 1-for-5 with an RBI single and run scored in the three-run sixth inning for Longwood.
 
The Lancers picked up hits in bunches in the sixth inning. Trailing 4-3 after a two-run rally by Asheville in the top of the inning, Longwood picked up three consecutive two-out RBI hits to retake the lead. Miller started the rally with a one-out single to left. After Roth reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base, the senior scored from second on an infield single off the bat of Bastaich. Alex Lewis followed up with a go-ahead RBI single and Michael Osinski topped off the rally with an RBI double to left field, putting Longwood ahead 6-4.
 
Osinski and freshman Carlos Garrido each had three-hit games for Longwood. Garrido was 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored after picking up hits in each of his first three at-bats. Osinski also went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, an RBI, and a run scored with a stolen base. The Lancers stole six bases in the win, the most in a single game this season.
 
"We did a really good job on the basepaths today," Mau said. "We took some bases and put ourselves in a position to score. We then had some timely hitting to back it up."
 
Defensively, Longwood made several key plays in the victory. Hayes Nelson and Sammy Miller each made spectacular running grabs in the outfield, while Brandon Harvell and C.J. Roth each left their mark defensively in the infield. Between the pitching staff and the clutch defense, Longwood held the Bulldogs to 1-for-6 at the plate with runners in scoring position. On the series Asheville is 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Longwood has outscored the Bulldogs 9-5 in the first two games of the series. Roth's offense sparked the bats and his work in the field was contagious, as well.

"Defense is something that probably got me here," Roth said. "I've always stressed on the defensive end. My coaches since high school have been a huge part of that. [Assistant coach Chad Oxendine] has done a great job with us this year. Defense is my pride and joy. If I take care of things there, I feel a lot better at the plate."
 
After tossing 3.0 innings, Wager pitched into the ninth inning. In the bottom of the eighth inning he had to hit for himself since Lewis was moved from the designated hitter into the field the inning before.
 
"Because Wager was throwing the ball so well when we killed the DH we had to insert him into the lineup since we wanted to give him a shot to finish the game," Mau said. "He put a good swing on it."
 
Wager entered the game in relief of starter Luke Simpson, who took no decision after allowing three runs in 5.0 innings of work. The righty struck out two batters with no walks issued.
 
"[Simpson] struggled a little bit, but it's good to see him compete without his best stuff," Mau said. "He gave us a start that was good enough to keep us in the ballgame.
 
"I'm really proud of the effort overall. It's always good to win the series. We have a job to do tomorrow and that's to finish all three."
 
The Lancers honored its five-player senior class of Roth, Bastaich, Konvicka, Travis Burnette, and Allen Ellis before the game. The senior class was the final recruiting class of the program's winningest head coach, Charles "Buddy" Bolding, and is also the first group of Lancer players to have played its entire career at Longwood in the Big South.
 
"I'd like to thank the seniors for their dedication and their efforts for helping lay the foundation for this program," Mau said.
 
The Lancers have one home game remaining with the series finale against Asheville set for Monday. The three-game series was pushed back from a Friday start due to rain in the Farmville area and moved to a Saturday through Monday series. Steven Farkas (2-2) will get the ball for the Lancers in the home finale opposite of Asheville southpaw Jordan Fulbright (4-3). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Buddy Bolding Stadium.

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