ELON, N.C. – Junior shortstop Michael Osinski lifted Longwood to victory with a game-winning grand slam in the top of the ninth inning as the Lancers picked up their first win of the season, 9-5, Sunday afternoon at Latham Park.
 
Longwood (1-2) and Elon (2-1) had been knotted since the sixth inning when Osinski unleashed his first career grand slam to break the tie. Osinski went 2-for-4 in the game with a career high five RBI.
 
"I'm really proud of the way we came out and responded after yesterday's loss," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said. "It was an excellent team win in a very high pressure, tightly contested battle. Situations like today can reveal a team's toughness and our response showed that we can perform under pressure."
 
The four-run ninth was the second four-run inning in the game for the Lancers, who scored nine runs on eight hits. The top of the ninth inning started with a lead-off walk by Nate Blakeney and the rally intensified when Sammy Miller doubled to left field with one out. Brandon Harvell was hit by a pitch to load the bases ahead of Osinski's grand slam. Miller went 3-for-5 out of the lead-off spot and scored twice, leading a Lancer offense that saw seven of nine starters reach safely at least once in the win.
 
Cody Boydstun (1-0) picked up the final four outs to earn the win for Longwood and struck out three in the bottom of the ninth inning.
 
"Boydstun was electric and got us out of trouble in the eighth inning before he slammed it shut in the ninth to end it," Mau said.
 
Boydstun entered with the potential go-ahead run in scoring position and one out, but the sophomore right-hander put out the fire by inducing a pair of fly outs to end the eighth.
 
Nick Beaulac (0-1) was hit with the loss after allowing the lead-off walk in the top half of the ninth.
 
"We delivered a big punch in the first and set the tone for the day that we were ready to go," Mau said. "Miller set the tone right out of the gate and Joey Mendez landed the big blow in the first, which capped a string of quality at-bats."
 
A day after being shut out, Longwood got the offense going early with a four-run first inning. Miller started the day with a single up the middle and came around to score on a single by Osinski. Three batters later, with a pair of runners aboard, Mendez homered to left field, the first of the freshman's career, to extend Longwood's lead to 4-0.
 
Elon bounced back with a four-run home half of the second inning to tie the game, but Longwood jumped back out to a one-run lead in the top of the third when Alex Lewis hit into a fielder's choice that allowed a run to score. Elon evened the game in the bottom of the sixth, which kept the game tied until Osinski's slam. During the middle innings only one run scored thanks in large part to Michael Catlin's efforts in relief.
 
"Catlin was outstanding out of the bullpen during the tightly contested middle innings," Mau said.
 
Catlin entered in the fourth inning with a man on and had to navigate out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth, but did so with a strikeout and fly out. In all Catlin went 4.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks issued. The junior southpaw tossed 60 pitches in his first appearance of the season.
 
Neither starter factored into the decision as both were replaced in the fourth inning. Tyler Wirsu lasted 3.0 innings and allowed four runs, all earned, on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks issued. Kyle Brnovich allowed five runs, all earned, in 3.0 innings of work before he was replaced.
 
Longwood returns to action Tuesday for the home opener against in-state foe James Madison University. First pitch against the Dukes is set for 3 p.m. at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
#GoWood