5.6.2012

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University dropped a 9-2 baseball decision to visiting Duke University of the Atlantic Coast Conference Sunday afternoon at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium in Farmville.  Playing for the first time in nine days after spring semester examinations, the Lancers (22-19) were led by senior captain Robby Newman|Virginia Beach (Salem) with a two-run double, and junior Justin Lacy|Glen Allen (J.R. Tucker) had two hits, while classmate Kyler Morgan|Lancaster, Pa. (Lampeter-Strasburg) took the pitching loss against the Blue Devils (17-29).  Longwood will play again on Tuesday, May 8, at in-state opponent Old Dominion University of the Colonial Athletic Association in Norfolk at 6 p.m.
   
Duke took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning as Grant McCabe (3-5, RBI) opened with a single and later scored on an RBI single by Mike Rosenfeld (4-4, 2 RBI).  The Blue Devils made it 2-0 with an unearned run in the fourth when Rosenfeld singled to lead off and later crossed the plate on a wild pitch following a fielding error that kept the at-bat going.  Duke finally broke the game open in the fifth inning with a pair of two-out, two-run home runs from Will Piwnica-Worms (1-3, 2 RBI) and Jordan Betts (2-5, 2 RBI), respectively.  The visitors added three more runs in the eighth as McCabe and Andrew Istler (1-4, RBI) each contributed run-scoring singles, and Rosenfeld produced a sacrifice fly.
   
Longwood avoided the shutout with two runs in the eighth inning when Newman (1-4, 2 RBI) provided a two-out, two-run double that scored freshman Conner Hall|Mechanicsville (Atlee) (1-1) and Lacy (2-4) who had each singled -- Hall's hit as a pinch hitter.  Senior captain Matt Gwaltney|Chesterfield (Matoaca) (1-4), sophomore Scott Burkett|Williamsburg (Jamestown) (1-3), and freshman Joey Varaksa|Charlottesville (Albemarle) (1-4) each collected hits as well for the Lancers.
   
Morgan (5-5) started on the mound and took the setback for Longwood with the first 5.0 innings, yielding nine hits and five earned runs with two walks and two strikeouts.  Sophomore Ryan Schubert|Springfield (Annandale) (one hit, no walks, no strikeouts), freshman Aaron Myers|Newport News (Denbigh) (two hits, no walks, no strikeouts), and junior Bobby Shelton|Forest (Jefferson) (no hits, no walks, no strikeouts) each tossed 1.0 scoreless innings, respectively, for the Lancers.  Freshman Tyler Wislocki|Annandale (W.T. Woodson) pitched an inning as well, allowing four hits and three earned runs with one walk and no strikeouts.
   
Duke pitched each of its top three pitchers for 3.0 innings, respectively, as number one Marcus Stroman (5-4) started and went the first scoreless third of the contest, yielding just one hit (Gwaltney) with no walks and seven strikeouts for the win.  Stroman leads the nation in strikeouts (119) and strikeouts per nine innings (12.75), and is projected as a first round pick in next month's Major League Baseball Draft.  The number two, Trent Swart, pitched the second scoreless third and allowed two hits with one walk and three strikeouts, while number three, Robert Huber, tossed the final third of the game and scattered four hits and two earned runs with no walks and two strikeouts for the save (1).

The game was played before the largest crowd of the season as an estimated 500 fans were in attendance.