MONTGOMERY, AL. – The Lancers put up a season-high 12 runs in the ninth inning to take game one of a four-game series against Alabama State on Friday night.

The Longwood (12-2) offense mashed out seven hits and earned another six free bases in the ninth inning to break the game open, and Longwood outhit Alabama State (6-7) 16 to nine on the night.

Meanwhile, Jaxon Lloyd once again was sharp in the start. He fanned 11 in six frames, and he combined with Jackson Garland and Landen Moore to give up only one run.
 
                        R          H         E
LWU                16        16        1
ASU                 1          7          3
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Jae 'Dan Carter wasted no time and swatted a solo homer to lead off the game. It is the second time this season he has hit a home run as the leadoff man for Longwood in the first inning.

Jayson Nash kept it going in the first with an RBI groundout with the bases loaded, advancing the lead to 2-0.

Carter cranked his second homer of the game in the second for a 3-0 lead, and Longwood extended it to 4-0 in the fourth after scoring on an error.

Alabama State plated a run in the sixth, but Longwood broke the game wide open in the ninth.

Jack McMullan homered to left field on the first pitch of the ninth. Jon Howard followed with an RBI single, but the inning was just getting started.

Lucas Johnson joined the fun with an RBI single to centerfield to extend the lead to 7-1.

With the bases loaded, Jayson Nash drew a walk for an RBI, Ben Pulliam scored off a wild pitch, McMullan had a 2 RBI double, and Max Lawson scored on a wild pitch that put Longwood up 13-1.

Bentley Yeatts poked another one home on an RBI on a fielder's choice, and with the bases loaded again, Pulliam had an RBI single while Jones and Yeatts scored off an error to close the Lancers scoring run with 12 runs in the ninth.

Lloyd earned the win after another stellar start. He struck out 11 in six innings while only giving up one walk and one run.

Garland and Moore came in to close the game with three shutout innings, giving up four hits and three walks.

WHAT THEY SAID:
 
"Always nice to get an opening series win on Friday Night", said Head Coach Ray Noe. "Jaxon Lloyd yet against gave us a quality start and did a fantastic job of keeping the hitters off balance by attacking them early and often. The final score was not a true indicator of the game flow throughout - ASU is a good ball club and well-coached. We have a lot of things to clean up defensively and on the bases in order to get where we want to go."
 
UP NEXT:
The Lancers will play games two and three of the series against Alabama State in a doubleheader on March 7, with first pitch slated at 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale has been moved to 12 p.m. CT due to forecasted weather.
 
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