2.18.2011

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University opened its 2011 baseball season with an 8-3 home victory past visiting Cleveland State University of the Horizon League Friday at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium in Farmville. The Lancers (1-0) scored four runs in the second inning, adding two more runs in both the fourth and seventh innings en route to their opening-game win. LU was led at the plate by freshman Matt Dickason|Chesapeake (Indian River) with three hits and an RBI, junior Robby Newman|Virginia Beach (Salem) with a two-run double, and freshman Alex Owens|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) with a two-run home run, while senior right-handed pitcher Chris Briere|Midlothian (James River) went 7.0 strong innings on the mound. The Vikings (0-1) were led by Chuck Gasti and Tyler Wynn with two hits each. Longwood and Cleveland State will continue the three-game weekend series with game two on Saturday, February 19, at Bolding Stadium at 1 p.m.

Longwood allowed an unearned run in the top of the first inning on a two-out RBI double from Wynn (2-4, RBI) that scored a runner only in scoring position due to a throwing error. The Lancers took control with their four-run second as Newman (1-2, 2 RBI) hit a one-out, two-run double off the wall in center field that scored junior Matt Gwaltney|Chesterfield (Matoaca) (0-1) and freshman Scott Burkett|Williamsburg (Jamestown) (1-4) who had walked and doubled, respectively. Freshman Zach Mihalko|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) (2-4, RBI) and classmate Dickason (3-4, RBI) each followed with RBI singles for the hosts.

Longwood added two more runs in the fourth inning when Newman drew a one-out walk and scored ahead of Owens (1-4, 2 RBI) who hit a towering home run to right field that traveled over the scoreboard. It was the first collegiate homer for Owens, and the first home run of the season for the blue and white. Cleveland State managed two runs in the seventh on an RBI single from Matt Kirkwood (1-3, RBI) that scored Wynn who had doubled again, and a sacrifice fly by Alex Gnezda (1-2, RBI) that scored Gasti (2-3) who had walked.

Longwood answered back in its half of the seventh inning with two more runs as well, though both runs were unearned on a two-out dropped fly ball in right field that allowed both Dickason and junior Dustin Sollars|Midlothian (Cosby) (1-4) to cross the plate. Each had reached on singles and Sollars stole second base ahead of the fielding error as well on what looked like a routine fly-ball out off the bat of senior Brant Jones|Richmond (Monacan) (0-4).

Briere (1-0) went the first 7.0 innings on the mound to earn the Lancers' pitching win, scattering seven hits and three runs, two earned, with seven strikeouts and two walks. Junior Mark Montgomery|Williamsburg (Bruton) took care of the final 2.0 scoreless innings, yielding two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

Coty Bates (0-1) took the pitching loss for Cleveland State with the first 6.0 innings, allowing six hits and six runs, all earned, with six strikeouts and two walks. The Vikings used four other pitchers to cover the final 2.0 innings of the contest.