5.11.2011

BOX SCORE

LEXINGTON, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 12-5 baseball road decision at VMI of the Big South Conference Wednesday night in Lexington. The Lancers (28-16) were led by freshman Alex Owens|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) with three hits and an RBI, and senior captain Brant Jones|Richmond (Monacan) had two hits with a home run against the Keydets (22-22-1). Longwood will play its final two games of the season this weekend, May 13-14, remaining on the road at Norfolk State University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in Norfolk. The Lancers and Spartans will play on Friday evening at 5 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. game on Saturday afternoon.  The season finale on Saturday will be audiocast online via TEAMLINE with Scott Bacon calling the play-by-play action.

Longwood took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jones (2-4, 2 rbi) hit a two-out, solo home run to left field for his team-leading sixth homer this season. VMI answered with two runs in the first to lead 2-1 as Graham Sullivan (3-4, 4 rbi) reached on a one-out single and scored on an infield single by Jacob Morley (3-5, rbi). George Piccirilli (1-5) crossed the plate on the same play courtesy a throwing error; he had reached base via a fielder's choice.

The Lancers responded with two runs in the third to lead 3-2 after senior captain Chris Briere|Midlothian (James River) (3-4) led-off with a single, advanced to third on a double from Owens (3-3, rbi), and scored on a run-scoring single by freshman Matt Dickason|Chesapeake (Indian River) (2-4, rbi). Owens crossed the plate when Jones was safe at first on an infield single. Longwood added another run in the fourth to lead 4-2 as Briere hit a two-out single and scored on Owens' RBI double down the right field line.

The Keydets once-again had an answer with three runs in the fourth to take the lead for good at 5-4. Following the lead-off batter getting hit-by-a-pitch, Rob Dickinson (1-3, 3 rbi) connected for a two-run home run to right field to tie the contest. Chase Worthington (1-4) was hit-by-a-pitch as well and later scored on a grounder from Sullivan. VMI added a run in the fifth to lead 6-4 after Alex Haitsuka (1-4) led-off with a single and later crossed the plate on another grounder, this one by Dickinson. The hosts broke the game wide open with six runs in the seventh, all with two outs, courtesy four walks, one hit batter, two errors, and three hits -- the big blow a three-run double by Sullivan -- for a 12-4 advantage.

Longwood was not finished, though, and added a final run in the ninth after loading the bases with no outs. Freshman Zach Mihalko|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) (1-1) singled to lead-off and later scored on a double-play ball that prevented an even bigger possible inning for the Lancers.

Senior Troy Dickman|Manakin Sabot (Midlothian) (2-2) started and took the Longwood pitching loss with the first 7.0 innings, allowing 11 hits and 12 runs, 10 earned, with four walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore Kyle Long|Halifax (Halifax County) tossed the final 1.0 scoreless inning, yielding two hits with no walks and no strikeouts.

On an interesting side note ... Longwood's Chris Briere and VMI's Sam Roberts are each among the 25 finalists nationwide selected to the watch list for the 2011 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award that was announced last week. Briere only played in center field and was 3-4 at the plate with two runs and four putouts on four chances. Roberts played shortstop (one putout, four assists, one error) before pitching the final inning and was 0-5 at the plate with one run, an RBI (on a bases-loaded walk), and struckout once; while allowing two hits (one to Briere) and one unearned run with one strikeout on the mound. The Keydets, however, were 2-0 against the Lancers this season, including a 5-4 win in Farmville on March 22.