FARMVILLE, Va. – A pair of strong pitching performances from Army starters Tyler Giovinco and Sam Messina led the Black Knights to a doubleheader sweep over the Longwood baseball team Thursday evening at Buddy Bolding Stadium.

Giovinco pitched six strong innings and was aided by a Black Knight (3-2) offense that finished with 14 hits in a 12-2 win in game one of the day before a five-run second inning and a combined three hits allowed by Army pitching lifted the Black Knights past Longwood in the nightcap, 10-3.

Longwood (3-4) was led on the day by Antwaun Tucker, who collected three hits throughout the two games to raise his batting average to .364. A product of Chase City, Va., Tucker has hits in six of Longwood's seven games on the season while his two-hit performance in Thursday's first game was his second in that span.

Hunter Gilliam continues his strong start to his freshman season in Farmville with his team-best third multi-hit performance in game one, going 2-for-3. Gilliam, who collected his first collegiate home run less than one week ago against Maryland Eastern Shore, has multiple hits in three of his last four games to raise his batting average to a team-best .400.

Longwood and Army are set to complete the three-game series Friday, Feb. 23 at Buddy Bolding Stadium with first pitch set for 3 p.m.

Game One: Big Innings Aid Giovinco's Dominant Outing for Army

Tyler Giovinco spun six innings of two run ball and was aided by five runs in the sixth and four in the seventh to lead Army to a 12-2 win over Longwood in game one of the day.

Giovinco (1-1) threw six innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits while striking out a pair to pick up his first win of the season. The Army ace faced 27 Longwood batters and threw 97 pitches, 59 for strikes to lower his season ERA to a 2.00.

Four different players had multi-hit performances for the Black Knights led by Andre Walden, who finished his day 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. He was part of a middle of an Army lineup that went a combined 7-for-9 from three-to-five in the order.

Anthony Giachin and Josh White each went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and runs scored while McKenna added three RBI in his 2-for-4 performance.
Logan Smith came on in relief of Giovinco to pitch a scoreless seventh, working around one hit and a walk.

Tyler Morgan was handed the start for the Lancers and he picked up the no decision, pitching 4.1 innings while giving up two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out four batters in 89 pitches, 53 for strikes.

Morgan was one of six pitchers used by Longwood head coach Ryan Mau, as John Gregory (1-1) took the loss after relieving Morgan in the fifth and giving up three runs on five hits.

Hunter Gilliam went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Lancers while Antwaun Tucker also put together a two-hit performance

Army batted around the lineup in the five-run sixth inning to break a 3-2 lead open and take an 8-2 advantage led by a two RBI single from Jeremiah Adams for his only hit of the day. The Black Knights tacked on four more runs one inning later while sending seven batters to the plate.

Game 2: Five-Run Second Derails Lancers

Army took advantage of a five-run second inning and Sam Messina, Cam Opp and Ray Bartoli combined to allow three Longwood hits to lead the Black Knights past the Lancers 10-3 in the nightcap of the day.

Messina and Opp combined for eight innings of three-hit ball while giving up three runs, one earned, as Army shutdown Longwood's lineup.

Messina was credited with the win in the outing, going 4.1 innings and allowing three runs, one earned, while throwing 76 pitches, 39 for strikes. He was relieved by Opp, who allowed one hit in 3.2 innings of work while striking out seven Lancers.

Offensively, Army's Drake Titus led the way with a 3-for-5 performance with two runs scored along with an RBI. He was one of two Black Knights to pick up multiple hits, as Jacob Hurtubise went 2-for-2 with three runs scored.

Coming off his Longwood debut less than a week ago against Maryland Eastern Shore, Gage Williams (0-1) earned the start and took the loss, giving up six runs, five earned, in one-plus inning of work while striking out two batters.

He was one of six different Longwood pitchers used in the game, as Army took advantage of eight free passes from Longwood pitching. Pedro Astacio pitched two scoreless innings while giving up a pair of hits and Mike Esposito added a scoreless seventh inning for the Lancers.

Antwaun Tucker collected one of three Longwood hits, his third of the day, as Jawan McAllister hit his first home run of the season and De'Andre Pitts added a hit.

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