CLINTON, S.C. – Eric Crain collected a pair of extra-base hits to lead a Lancer offense that racked up 12 hits in a 9-3 victory in the series finale against Presbyterian Sunday at the Presbyterian Baseball Complex.
 
Longwood (16-34, 8-16 Big South) scored six runs in the sixth inning to rally from a 3-2 deficit to top Presbyterian (15-36, 8-16 Big South). The Lancers took advantage of scoring situations, hitting .556 (5-for-9) with runners in scoring position and .333 (4-for-12) with two outs during the game to top the Blue Hose.
 
"It was a much-needed win today," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said. "The offense executed when called upon and delivered timely hits."
 
Crain put together a monster game for the Lancers at the plate, picking up his first career home run. Crain collected six total bases, going 2-for-4 with a homer and double, scoring a pair of runs.
 
Along with Crain, Justin Mitchell, Nate Blakeney, and Scott Carter each picked up multi-hit games for the Lancers.
 
Mitchell and Blakeney each had multiple RBI in the game, taking advantage with runners on for the Lancers. Mitchell went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one walk in the win, while Blakeney was 2-for-5 with two runs batted in, tying Sammy Miller for the team lead with his 13th game with two or more hits.
 
Carter was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the victory for the Lancers. The multi-hit game for Carter was his first of the season. The sophomore, who entered the game without a hit on the year, had three career hits heading into the game, which included a two-hit game as a freshman in 2017.
 
Once the offense handed him the lead Tommy Green never looked back. Green (2-1) was spectacular out of the bullpen in the win, retiring the first 12 hitters he faced.
 
"Tommy was electric today," Mau said. "He shut down a great offensive club and kept the game out of reach."
 
The freshman tossed 4.1 scoreless innings with two singles allowed, striking out five batters to pick up the victory. Green, who is tied with John Gregory for the team lead with 21 relief appearances, has put together a team-high nine scoreless appearances and has 53 strikeouts in 39.1 innings pitched, more punchouts than any other Lancer reliever on the year.
 
Jackson Dean (0-4) was tagged with the loss for Presbyterian, allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work. Longwood then managed four runs off of the bullpen, one earned.
 
Tyler Morgan received no decision, though recorded a solid outing in the start. Morgan scattered three runs and seven hits across 4.2 innings of work with three walks and three strikeouts in the game.
 
Miller started the Lancers off quickly with a lead-off double in the top of the first inning. After moving to third on a passed ball, Miller scored his team-leading 33rd run on an RBI single by Justin. The RBI for Mitchell was his team-leading 38th and extended his reached base streak to a career-best 22 games.
 
Longwood added to the lead in the second inning on a career first for Eric Crain. The redshirt-junior, who played two seasons at Morehead State before transferring to Longwood, sent out his first career home run to right field to give the Lancers a 2-0 lead. Crain, a native of Richmond, Va., blasted out an 0-2 pitch with one out in the top of the second for his first career homer.
 
Presbyterian got a run back in the home half of the second inning. Nick Wise and T.J. Richardson each singled to start the inning, placing runners on the corners with no outs. Andrew Bladt brought in the run for the Blue Hose on a sacrifice fly to left-center field, cutting the Longwood lead to 2-1.
 
The Blue Hose tied the game in the home half of the third. Jack McLaughlin doubled with one out in the frame and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt. A.J. Priaulx tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center field, knotting the game at one.
 
Presbyterian took the lead in the fifth on a pair of hits. McLaughlin singled through the right side with one out and then moved to second base on a ground out. With two outs in the inning Colton Chapman singled back up the middle to bring in McLaughlin and give Presbyterian a 3-2 lead.
 
The Lancers rallied back to take advantage of Presbyterian mistakes and retake the lead with a huge frame in the sixth inning. With the bases clear and one out Mac McCafferty was hit by pitch to give the Lancers a runner. Representing the tying run, McCafferty was lifted for pinch runner Jake Jansen. Crain came through for the Lancers again, doubling to right field to put runners on second and third with one away in the inning. The next man up was Antwaun Tucker, who picked up an RBI on a grounder to second to plate Jansen, but an error on the play allowed Tucker to reach, placing runners at the corners. Tucker followed by stealing second and a throwing error allowed Crain to score and for Tucker to move to third on the play. Joey Mendez then walked and Carter followed with a bunt single, bringing in Tucker and moving Mendez to second. Two batters later with two outs in the inning Mitchell singled to center, plating Mendez and moving Carter to third and Mitchell went to second on a throw to the plate, which set up Blakeney, who scored both Carter and Mitchell and capped off a six-run frame, giving Longwood an 8-3 lead.
 
Longwood tacked on another run in the seventh thanks to the speed of Tucker. The sophomore singled to left-center field with two outs, stole second, stole third, and then jogged home on Mendez's RBI single.
 
Tucker collected four stolen bases in the game and is one of three Lancers in the top 10 in the Big South in stolen bases with 17, behind Miller's 19 and just in front of Jawan McAllister's 14. Longwood is the only team with three players in the Big South in stolen bases and leads the conference with 79 stolen bases, three more than the 2017 team total.
 
With the win the Lancers are in a three-way tie for seventh place in the conference standings with Presbyterian and Charleston Southern heading into the final weekend of conference play. The three teams are currently one game ahead of UNC Asheville, which has a 7-17 record in league play. The four teams are fighting for the final two spots of the Big South tournament as the top eight teams qualify for the postseason. Longwood hosts Gardner-Webb (27-24, 12-12 Big South) for the final weekend of games, while Presbyterian plays at High Point (28-20, 16-8 Big South) and Charleston Southern hosts UNC Asheville.
 
The Lancers return to the field Tuesday in the final non-conference game of the season and last midweek game with a trip to play at James Madison. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Eagle Field in Harrisonburg, Va.
 
#GoWood