April 2, 2009

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a 7-3 come-from-behind baseball victory past visiting Liberty University of the Big South Conference Thursday night at Lancer Stadium in Farmville.  Junior Scott Kimble/Spotsylvania (Spotsylvania) (2-4, 3 RBI) had two hits, including a three-run double in the decisive fourth inning, to lead the Lancers who improved to 16-9 with only their third-win ever against the Flames (19-7).  Sophomore Chris Briere/Midlothian (James River) (1-0) earned his first pitching win of the season with the first 4.2 innings on the mound, yielding seven hits and two earned runs with no walks and no strikeouts.  Longwood will play again next Wednesday, April 8, at Norfolk State University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for a doubleheader in Norfolk beginning at 3 p.m..
   
Longwood took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning as Kimble doubled to lead-off and later scored on a sacrifice fly from junior Phil Cerreto/Midlothian (Midlothian) (0-3, RBI).  Liberty scored two runs in the second inning on a fielder's choice RBI from Zane Bator (1-2, RBI) and an RBI single by Trey Wimmer (1-3, RBI).  The Flames added a run in the third after Curran Redal (1-4) reached on a throwing error and later crossed the plate unearned on a wild pitch.
   
In the fourth, three singles loaded the bases with one out for the Lancers before freshman Ian Harvey/Midlothian (James River) (0-2, RBI) was hit-by-a-pitch to force in a run before Kimble's clutch three-run double to right-center field gave the hosts the lead for good at 5-3.  Longwood added a run in the fifth when senior Jonathan Quigley/Annandale (W.T. Woodson) (2-4, RBI) doubled to drive in junior Casey Havers/Thorofare, N.J. (West Deptford) (2-3, RBI) who had also doubled, while in the seventh, Havers drove the ball over the fence down the right field line for his second home run of the season and a 7-3 advantage that stood as the final margin.  Freshman Robby Newman/Virginia Beach (Salem) (2-4) also had two hits for the hosts.

Briere picked-up the pitching win for Longwood with his 4.2 innings, yielding seven hits and two earned runs with no walks and no strikeouts.  Freshman Mark Montgomery/Williamsburg (Bruton) pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless middle relief, allowing just two hits with one walk and five strikeouts, while junior Lance Harting/Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Ballston Spa) tossed the final 1.0 shutout inning of relief.  The Lancers, who turned four double-plays through the first four innings, earned just their third win in 20 overall meetings against Liberty since first playing in 1978.
   
Doug Bream (2-4) collected two hits to lead Liberty, while Tyler Light (1-2) took the pitching loss in relief, allowing four hits and four earned runs with one walk and three strikeouts during 1.1 innings of relief for the Flames.