FARMVILLE, Va. – Led by a four-hit day from sophomore infielder
Nate Blakeney and 7.1 strong innings from starting pitcher
Tyler Morgan, Longwood secured the final spot in the upcoming Big South Tournament with a 10-3 win in the first game of a doubleheader split with Gardner-Webb Sunday at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
After High Point swept Presbyterian over the weekend, the Lancers needed just one win Sunday to clinch the No. 8 seed for the tournament – set to begin Tuesday from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
With the game one win Longwood (17-36, 9-18 Big South) locked up the eight seed in the Big South tournament, ending the regular season eighth place in the conference. The Lancers will continue its season with its first game of the Big South Tournament against the No. 1 seed, Campbell, Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Gardner-Webb (29-25, 14-13 Big South) took the second game by a 12-0 final, which completed the pairings for the tournament's field of eight teams.
Day one of the Big South Tournament in Lynchburg, Va., will air on the Big South Network and all of Longwood's games in the postseason will be broadcast on radio on Kickin' Country 92.9 FM WVHL Farmville.
Longwood 10, Gardner-Webb 3
Sophomore infielder
Nate Blakeney matched his career high with four hits in a 4-for-5 game to back 7.1 quality innings from sophomore pitcher
Tyler Morgan as the Lancers won the first game of Sunday's doubleheader to qualify for the postseason.
Blakeney, who entered riding a six-game hitting streak, added four knocks and two RBI in the win while classmate
Antwaun Tucker contributed with three hits and three RBI.
Longwood got going early with three runs in the first, one in the third, three more in the sixth on
Jawan McAllister's three-run home run in the fifth inning, and added three runs in the home half of the eighth.
The run support was plenty for Morgan (4-3), who scattered seven hits across his 7.1 innings of work, holding Gardner-Webb to three runs, two earned, with four strikeouts and one walk in his third quality start of the season.
Before the game Longwood honored its seven-man senior class of
Michael Catlin,
Andrew Corbitt,
Mac McCafferty,
Sammy Miller,
Justin Mitchell,
Zach Potojecki, and
Ryan Shull.
Gardner-Webb 12, Longwood 0
Four innings of two-hit ball from Mason Fox, along with a pair of hits and three RBI led Gardner-Webb to a 12-0 win over Longwood in the final game of the regular season for both teams.
Fox (4-6) got the start on the mound for the Runnin' Bulldogs and scattered just two hits and allowed six baserunners in his four innings while batting leadoff in the Gardner-Webb batting order and going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored.
After Fox exited the game, the Gardner-Webb bullpen took over, combining for 5.0 scoreless innings with Isaac Campbell, Tyler Johnson, Corey Howard, and Wil Sellers holding Longwood to five hits and one walk.
Grant Keller had two of Longwood's four hits on the day while Mitchell and with junior infielder
Eli Mercado also finished with singles.
Potojecki (1-3) suffered the loss, giving up four runs, two earned, on three hits and three walks. The senior added three strikeouts in the outing on 67 pitches, 38 for strikes.
Catlin came on to pitch a perfect fifth inning for the Lancers, recording a pair of strikeouts in the outing.
#GoWood
