FARMVILLE, Va. – Eight different players scored, and 10 different players drew a walk for Longwood baseball as the Lancers (20-14, 5-5 Big South) topped UNC Asheville 8-4 on Friday night to open a three-game series at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
The Lancer matched a season-high by drawing 12 walks at the plate, and it culminated with a five-run seventh inning that propelled the Lancers to the win.
 
Brogan Jones led the offense with a pair of hits and three RBI, but it was a full team effort as every player that came to the plate reached base at least once in the contest.
 
SCORING:
               R             H            E
UNCA    4             6             0
LWU      8             7             0
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
Longwood loaded the bases in the first and opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly by Jon Howard.
 
However, UNC Asheville (15-19, 3-7 Big South) tied it up in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Ben Green.
 
Longwood answered immediately when Jones roped a two-out, two-run single to left field to give the Lancers the 3-1 lead.
 
However, Asheville used small ball in the fifth inning to tie the game, and the Bulldogs took the lead in the seventh on an RBI single from Patrick Gillen.
 
The Lancers had answers in the bottom half of the inning. After the team loaded the bases with no outs on three straight free passes, Lucas Johnson tied it up with a single to left field. Bentley Yeatts drew a walk to give Longwood the lead, and Max Lawson was hit by a pitch to extend it to 6-4. Jones tacked on one more with a sac fly, and a double steal with runners at the corners capped the scoring at 8-4.
 
While Asheville threatened in the ninth, JR Fordham came on and helped the Lancers evade any damage to pick up his sixth save of the season.
 
Jackson Garland (4-2) got the win for Longwood after coming on in relief to start the seventh inning. He pitched into the ninth and struck out three while giving up one run on one hit and four walks. Jaxon Lloyd got the start and struck out four while giving up three runs on five hits and four walks in six innings of work.
 
Matthew Hall (4-1) took the loss for UNC Asheville. He recorded one out in the seventh but surrendered five runs on one hit and three walks while striking out one.
 
WHAT THEY SAID:

"Great way to start the series," said Longwood Head Coach Ray Noe. "Lloyd wasn't as sharp as usual, but he battled his way through it and gave us some much needed length. He's an absolute workhorse and competitor every time he toes the rubber. Garland was a nice bridge, and Fordham does what he does and shut it down there late."

"The offense broke through when we needed it," added Noe. "Felt like the traffic was there all game, and we had some really patient and gritty at bats late. Lucas Johnson had a big two-strike knock, Bentley drew a walk for an RBI, and Brogan had a great swing on a sac fly. Super proud of the guys for staying the course."

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
 

• The 12 walks matched a season high, when Longwood drew 12 walks against UMBC on Feb. 21.
• The team has drawn at least 10 walks in a game 10 times this season.
• The Lancers are 16-10 in games where they score first.

 
UP NEXT:
 
Longwood sends freshman righthander Brady Hoover to the mound for game two of the series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
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