Longwood University Athletics

HIGH POINT, N.C. – A matchup between two of the top three teams in the Big South standings in Longwood and High Point lived up to the billing on Friday night.
 
Jon Howard cranked a three-run home run for the Lancers (27-19, 9-7 Big South), and a sterling start by lefthander Jaxon Lloyd helped lead Longwood past High Point (29-16, 11-5 Big South) 6-5 in a game that felt like a heavyweight fight throughout the night.
 
SCORING:
               R             H            E
LWU      6             7             0
HPU       5             6             1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
Road wins take a little bit of everything, especially in a matchup against the top of the Big South. Longwood got that up and down the lineup.
 
While High Point struck first with a pair of runs in the first inning, Lloyd quickly settled down and did what he does best: put up zeros.
 
The Lancer lefthander, who has been the ace of the staff, was once again excellent. He went 6.2 innings while striking out six against only three hits and three walks.
 
After that first inning, he did not allow multiple base runners in an inning again, and he retired the side in order twice. He has gone at least six innings in every start this season, and he has given up two runs or less six times in 11 starts.
 
Meanwhile, the offense used a patient approach to get to the High Point bullpen in the sixth inning, and the bottom of the order got Longwood on the board. Mac Tufts poked an RBI single to left field to cut the HPU lead to 2-1 while also turning the lineup over. Jae'dan Carter added an RBI single to tie the game, and Howard hit a sacrifice fly to right field to give Longwood the lead.
 
In the eighth, Longwood struck again. With two on, Howard clobbered a home run, his 12^th of the year, to right field for a 6-2 lead.
 
JR Fordham preserved the win, going 2.1 innings to get a tough save, his eighth of the season. Although High Point's Jake McCarter hit a three-run home run to cut the lead to 6-5 in the eighth, Fordham got out of the inning and then retired the side three-up, three-down in the ninth. He struck out four in 2.1 innings.
 
Jack Carey (3-1) took the loss after giving up the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning for High Point. He walked one and gave up three runs on three hits in his lone inning of work.

WHAT THEY SAID:

"What a great Friday night win," said Longwood Head Coach Ray Noe. "Jaxon Lloyd worked around a very unusual first inning and battled to give us six-plus like he always does. Fordham shut it down with a big multiple-inning save."

"I thought the offense was fantastic tonight," Noe added. "Worked nine free passes and took what they were willing to give us. I felt like it was going to break all game, and there in the sixth you saw that with a lead-off walk, single, sac bunt, two more singles and a sac fly. That's our game right there. It's beautiful when we are committed to it."

"Howard's swing in the eighth was something else," Noe said. "[Dylan] Story [HPU's closer] and Fordham are two of the best relievers in teh league, and you don't see them give up hits, let alone home runs, very often."
 
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
 

• Longwood is in sole possession of third in the Big South standings.
• For Lloyd, he struck out six batters for a third straight starter.
• Lloyd has struck out six or more batters in a game seven times this season.
• Lloyd needed only 107 pitches to go 6.2 innings.
• Fordham leads Longwood with eight saves, a mark that is tied for the Big South lead.
• Howard's 12 home runs lead the team, and he has now hit three home runs in his last five games.
• He finished with four RBI, his third time this season with four or more in a game.

 
UP NEXT:
 
The two sides square off for game two of the three-game series tomorrow night at 6 p.m. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN+.
 
#GoWood #HorsePower