LYNCHBURG, Va. – When Longwood needed a hero late in the game at rival Liberty senior Justin Mitchell came through with hits that sparked a tying rally in the eighth and had the winning home run in the ninth as the Lancers rallied to beat Liberty, 8-6, Saturday at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
 
Mitchell tied his career high in hits with a solid day at the plate in a 3-for-4 game, also drawing a pair of walks and scoring three runs. The entire order contributed to the victory as the Lancers (14-27, 7-13 Big South) outhit Liberty (25-16, 13-7 Big South) by a 14-10 margin, capped by Mitchell's winning home run in the top of the ninth.
 
"Tonight's win means a ton, especially in the way we did it," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said. "We battled all day. Though we missed some opportunities early on, we started to cash in later in the game. To come from behind shows a lot of character and a lot of fight in our guys. I'm really proud of the overall team effort tonight."
 
As it was in Friday's narrow defeat, Saturday's game was tight throughout as neither team led by more than two runs. Longwood led by two at 3-1 in the fifth inning before Liberty grabbed a 6-4 advantage in the seventh. The Lancers finished off the game with the final four runs to take the second game of the series and force a rubber match Sunday.
 
"It was the seniors in the ninth inning who came through for us," Mau said. "Sammy Miller singles and then Justin put together a great at-bat fouling off pitches before he gets one elevated and does some serious damage. That was a great at-bat, a great swing, and I'm proud and excited for him."
 
As great a night as it was for Mitchell, his three hits were third most in the game behind a pair of red-hot sophomores. Longwood has had two men start at third base this season and each came through in the victory. Grant Keller – Saturday's starter at the hot corner – and Nate Blakeney – who started his 20th game at second base with 19 starts at third – combined to go 8-for-12 with three doubles, one RBI, and two runs scored.
 
"They were on fire and they were really seeing the ball well," Mau said. "There were a couple of situations that came up where it might dictate a sacrifice situation, but the way they were swinging the bat I liked them in that situation to drive in runs. They both did a heck of a job today."
 
Blakeney had a day at the plate going 4-for-6 with an RBI and two doubles. The two-double game tied Blakeney's career high for doubles in a game, first done earlier in the season against UNC Asheville. The four hits were also a career high for the Archdale, N.C., native.
 
Blakeney and Mitchell weren't the only ones with career days for the Lancers as a four-hit game from his classmate, Keller, set his career high. Keller went 4-for-6 with one double and two runs scored.
 
Saturday was just the latest in a lengthy hot stretch for Keller, who has now lifted his batting average to a career-best .301 and has reached safely in 11 straight games. Keller is hitting .413 (19-for-46) in April with a team-high 19 hits and team-best four doubles in the month with only 14 games and 11 starts in the 16 games Longwood has played this month.
 
John Gregory (2-0) tossed 2.1 scoreless frames and struck out the final hitter of the game to pick up the victory for the Lancers.
 
"John Gregory showed a ton of composure coming in and handling that situation," Mau said. "He gave us a chance and I'm glad we cashed in."
 
Gregory entered the game in the bottom of the seventh with Liberty ahead 5-4 and a runner on base. After allowing that runner to score on a double by Tre Todd, Gregory settled in and allowed just two base runners the rest of the way. Gregory allowed a single in the eighth, but then picked off the runner at first, and a hit batter in the last of the ninth was doubled off at first on a liner to Mitchell.
 
Mason Hand (1-2) suffered the loss by allowing a pair of two-run rallies to Longwood in the eighth and ninth innings.
 
Despite receiving no decision, Steven Farkas fell just shy of a quality start in the game. Farkas lasted 6.2 innings and held Liberty to six runs, three of which came in the seventh inning.
 
"Steven Farkas was outstanding tonight," Mau said. "He did a great job, but ran out of gas. I probably stayed with him a tick too long, but he was outstanding tonight."
 
Farkas, who entered the series second in the Big South in strikeouts, fanned six with just one walk allowed.
 
With the win Longwood hands Liberty its first home loss since March as the Flames were riding a six-game winning streak in Lynchburg entering Saturday's action. For the series the offense has carried the Lancers, who have scored 14 runs in the two games and are outhitting the Flames, 24-21.
 
"We came through in situational hitting and it's huge, we gotta have them because those are difference-makers," Mau said. "To be able to hit with runners in scoring position and come out with some big clutch hits, I thought we did a really good job."
 
In a game that featured four lead changes the Lancers grabbed the first advantage on a rally in the third inning. Mitchell walked to start the frame and Keller followed with a single to right-center to place a pair on with no outs. Blakeney brought in the first run of the day on his second double of the game, a liner down the right field line to plate Mitchell.
 
Liberty came right back to even the game in the bottom of the third. Cam Locklear, who had the winning hit in Friday's game, started the frame with a triple down the right field line. Locklear scored the tying run easily on a sacrifice fly to center by Brandon Rohrer, knotting the game at one.
 
Longwood took the lead back in the fifth inning with timely hitting by the team captain. Ryan Shull and Nathan Iskowitz each drew one-out walks to give the Lancers a pair of base runners. After Jake Jansen pinch ran for Iskowitz, Longwood pulled off a double steal with two outs. Miller came through with an RBI single to left field, plating both runners and giving the Lancers a 3-1 lead.
 
The Flames again came up with an answer right after the Lancers scored. Jonathan Embry put down a bunt for a base hit to start the inning for Liberty. Two batters later Locklear singled to place runners at first and second with one out. After pulling off a double steal Rohrer brought in the first run on an RBI single. The next batter, Trey McDyre, struck out swinging, but on a wild pitch Locklear scored the tying run in the home half of the fifth.
 
The Lancers wasted no time to grab the lead back. Keller picked up his career-high third hit of the game with a double to lead off the top of the sixth. After Joey Mendez, pinch hitting for Mac McCafferty, walked with one out Antwaun Tucker put down a safety squeeze bunt to bring in the go-ahead run, making it 4-3 Longwood.
 
Liberty struck back in the home half of the seventh. Dylan Allen started the inning with a walk and moved to third on a single to right by Rohrer as Liberty executed on a hit-and-run. With runners at the corners and one out McDyre hit a drive to right, caught by Shull, who then threw a perfect ball to the plate that beat Allen, but the ball popped out of the glove to allow Allen to score the tying run on the sacrifice fly. After Rohrer moved to second on the throw home D.J. Artis hit an RBI single to right, giving Liberty a 5-4 lead for its first advantage of the game. Todd followed with an RBI double to make it a two-run game.
 
Then the Lancers got the big answer-back frame they needed.
 
Mitchell ripped a single to start the top of the eighth and both Keller and Blakeney followed with singles, their fourth hits of the game, to load the bases with no outs. Joey Mendez brought in the first run on a sacrifice fly to center. The came Tucker, who brought in the tying run on an RBI fielder's choice as a grounder to third and throw to the plate was not in time to cut down Keller, who scored the equalizer.
 
Then the Lancers won it on two big swings by their seniors.
 
Miller started the winning rally in the ninth with a one-out single through the right side. The second hit of the day by the team captain allowed him to have the best view in the house as he jogged home on Mitchell's majestic blast to right, which provided Longwood the winning runs. For Mitchell it was his fifth homer of the season and team-leading 31st RBI of the year.
 
"We're scrapping and today we did a better job of executing," Mau said. "We executed in a squeeze situation, we picked up RBIs in the back half of the game when we had the chance, and we came up with big hits. We're starting to trend the right way offensively and we have to carry that into tomorrow."
 
The series concludes with a rubber match Sunday afternoon. Sophomore right-hander Tyler Morgan (2-3, 5.71 ERA) is set to toe the rubber for the Lancers against Zach Clinton (6-3, 4.76 ERA) for Liberty. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Sunday at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
 
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