ASHEVILLE, N.C. ­­­– Steven Farkas took a shutout into the ninth inning, tossing a career-high 8.1 innings in Longwood's 7-1 win at UNC Asheville Saturday at Greenwood Baseball Field.
 
Needing a win to remain in striking distance in the Big South standings and just four games remaining on the conference schedule, Longwood (18-31, 6-14 Big South) got a clutch pitching performance from its sophomore standout, Farkas, to top UNC Asheville (20-28, 9-11 Big South). Longwood sits two games behind Charleston Southern for the eight-spot in the Big South, needed to qualify for the conference tournament.
 
Farkas (2-2) pitched into the ninth inning for the first time in his career, holding UNC Asheville to one run, spreading five hits and five walks across 8.1 innings of work with eight strikeouts. The left-hander was scoreless in his first eight innings of work, before giving up a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth. Farkas didn't allow multiple hits in any inning until the ninth inning, when he was relieved by Devin Gould.
 
Greg Gasparro (3-4) was hit with the loss after surrendering five runs, all unearned, on four walks and four hits in 5.0 innings of work.
 
No Lancer picked up multiple hits, though the Lancers got contributions from all nine starters as every player in the lineup either reached safely or scored a run.
 
Justin Mitchell put together a three-RBI game, going 1-for-5 at the plate. Mitchell has driven in at least one run in seven consecutive games, driving in 14 runs in the span. Mitchell is second on the team in RBI, behind Michael Osinski's team-leading 35.
 
Antwaun Tucker singled to extend his hitting streak to nine games, the second-longest by a Lancer this season. The freshman has upped his batting average to .296, second-best on the team, going 1-for-3 with a pair of walks drawn Saturday.
 
Longwood struck first on Mitchell's first RBI of the game. After Brandon Harvell reached on a one-out error and Tucker walked, the Lancers executed a double-steal and set up Mitchell, who grounded out to second base and brought in the first run of the game.
 
In the second inning the Lancers broke the game open with a four-run frame. Grant Keller singled and Nathan Iskowitz reached on a fielder's choice and an error, putting two on with no outs for the Lancers. With Keller at third after the error, Harvell drove him in with a sacrifice fly. Tucker, Alex Lewis, and Mitchell singled in consecutive at-bats to bring home three runs, two on a two-run single by Mitchell.
 
The Lancers wrap up their series at UNC Asheville with a rubber match Sunday. Zach Potojecki (2-6, 4.53 ERA) is expected to start opposite of Spencer Orr (2-4, 3.50 ERA) for UNC Asheville. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Greenwood Baseball Field.

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