Longwood University Athletics

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Talk about clutch. Longwood baseball needed runs, and Jack McMullan delivered all day on Thursday night.
 
The Lancer (29-23, 11-11 Big South) catcher piled up a career-best six RBI as Longwood took the opening game of a three-game series from Winthrop 8-2.
 
While McMullan did major work on offense, the trio of Brady Hoover, Jackson Garland and JR Fordham limited an Eagle (31-22, 13-9 Big South) offense that had just beaten South Carolina to two runs on four base hits.
 
The win, coupled with a loss by Gardner-Webb, clinches a spot in the Big South playoffs for the Lancers for the first time since 2018.
 
SCORING:
               R             E             H
LWU      8             8             1
WU        2             4             1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
Longwood took an early lead, but Winthrop led 2-1 after three innings.
 
But Longwood responded. A two-out rally flipped the game. Ben Pulliam singled to center, and Tre Keels drove him home one batter later to tie the score. Then McMullan hit a towering home run to left field to give Longwood the lead for good. It was his fourth home run of the season.
 
The Lancer pitching staff gave up just three baserunners the rest of the way.
 
Even while Longwood's pitchers kept stacking zeros, the offense added some insurance. In the sixth, the Lancers loaded the bases with one out, and McMullan yanked a bases-clearing double down the line to extend the lead to7-2.
 
In the eighth, he capped the scoring with an RBI groundout to make it 8-2.
 
On the mound, Hoover got the start and gave up just two runs, one earned, in 3.2 innings of work. He struck out one against one walk and four hits. Garland (5-3) came on in the fourth and was dominant, tossing 4.1 shutout frames while striking out four. He gave up one walk while not surrendering a hit. Fordham closed it out with a three-up, three-down ninth with two strikeouts.

Brayden Gilley (7-5) took the loss for Winthrop. He gave up seven runs, six earned, on five hits and six walks in 5.1 innings. He struck out three.

WHAT THEY SAID:

"So proud of this group," said Longwood Head Coach Ray Noe. "Brady Hoover and Jackson Garland were absolutely dominant and executed at such a high level tonight when we needed it the most."

"The offense was relentless and did what it took to win tonight," Noe added. "We had some big situational opportunities today that we were able to capitalize on. Jack McMullan was incredible tonight, but that came as no surprise on our end. He's consistent, cares about the team first, and no moment is ever too big for him. So happy for him."

"Clinching our spot in Asheville [where the conference tournament is hosted] was something we set out to do from the start," Noe said. "Happy we were able to accomplish it tonight, but we aren't done yet."
 
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
 

• Longwood's pitchers combined for seven strikeouts against only two walks and four hits.
• McMullan's six RBI tied for the highest in a game this season for the Lancers. Jon Howard also did it on Feb. 21 against UMBC.
• For McMullan, it was his sixth game with multiple RBI, although the six RBI was double his prior career-best of three.
• Pulliam hit a double, his 19^th of the season, to move into sole possession of fifth in team history for doubles in a single season.

 
UP NEXT:
 
The Lancers have a chance to win the series on Friday night in the second game of three, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN+.
 
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