May 7, 2008

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Longwood University took a 9-7 baseball victory on the road at High Point University Wednesday night in North Carolina. The Lancers improved their record to 22-23 while stopping a recent five-game losing streak, and the host Panthers dropped to 18-27 overall. Longwood will play again this Saturday, May 10, hosting Liberty University of the Big South Conference for a doubleheader at Lancer Stadium in Farmville beginning at 3 p.m..

Longwood scored single runs in both the first and second innings but trailed 3-2 as High Point plated three runs in the first. The Lancers took the lead for good at 6-3 with four runs in the third, and added three more runs in the fourth to lead 9-3. The Panthers kept it interesting with a run in the sixth, two more runs in the seventh, and a final run in the ninth for the final margin.

In the first, sophomore Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (0-4) was hit-by-a-pitch with one out, stole second, and scored on an RBI single from freshman Justin Morreim/Virginia Beach (Frank W. Cox) (2-2, RBI). In the second, junior Jon Quigley/Annandale (W.T. Woodson) (1-4) drew a one-out walk and crossed the plate on a two-out double down the left-field line by sophomore David Smiy Jr./Chesterfield (Matoaca) (2-4, 3 RBI). In the third, sophomore Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (1-3, RBI) and Morreim each walked with one out ahead of a two-run double down the right-field line from sophomore Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (2-4, 2 RBI). After another walk to senior Nick von Gersdorff/Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (1-4, RBI), and a single by Quigley loaded the bases, Smiy came through with another clutch two-out, two-run double. In the decisive fourth, junior Robbie Bailey/Mechanicsville (Hanover) (1-5) tripled to lead-off and scored on a sacrifice fly from Cerreto. Morreim was hit-by-a-pitch and moved to third on a single by Havers, scoring when Havers stole second base. Havers crossed the plate on an RBI single from von Gersdorff.

Junior John Walker II/Alexandria (West Potomac) (6-4) took the pitching win with the first 6.1 innings, scattering 12 hits and six runs, all earned, with no strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) (5) earned his fifth save with the final 1.1 innings, yielding one hit and one run, earned, with no strikeouts and no walks. Cerreto kept alive his team season-best 11-game hitting streak with a one-out double in the sixth inning.