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FARMVILLE, Va. – Freshman Colton Konvicka/Richmond had two hits and two RBI in the nightcap, including the game-winning RBI double with two outs in the seventh inning, to lead Longwood University to a 4-3 victory against Canisius College of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and a split of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium in Farmville.  The Griffins (9-5) won the opener, 8-6, behind a four-hit, three-RBI effort from Chris Gruarin.  Sophomore Aaron Myers/Newport News earned the complete-game pitching win in game two, as well, for the Lancers (6-7).  Longwood and Canisius will complete the four-game weekend series on Sunday, March 10 at Bolding Stadium in Farmville beginning at 1 p.m.

In the nightcap, Canisius scored two runs in the first inning with an RBI double from Jesse Kelso (1-3, RBI) and a run-scoring single by Gruarin (1-3, RBI).

Longwood scored a run in the first to make it 2-1, getting an RBI single from senior Justin Lacy/Glen Allen (1-3, RBI) to score Konvicka (2-3, 2 RBI), who had led-off with a single.

Canisius pushed its lead to 3-1 with another run in the third on a run-scoring single by Jesse Puscheck (1-3, RBI) that scored Brooklyn Foster (0-2), who had been hit by a pitch.

Longwood got a run back in the fifth on a one-out sacrifice fly from Konvicka that scored freshman C.J. Roth/Yorktown (2-2), who had singled lead-off.  The Lancers tied it at 3-3 in the seventh when freshman Kyri Washington/Prospect (1-3, RBI) hit a lead-off solo homer to left field, his second this season.  Roth followed with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Travis Burnette/Lynchburg (0-1) and scored the game-winning run on a clutch two-out, walk-off RBI double by Konvicka.

Myers (1-0), the team's closer, started and pitched the complete 7.0 innings for Longwood, scattering five hits and three runs, all earned, with two walks and nine strikeouts.

Devon Stewart (1-2) pitched the 6.2 innings for Canisius, yielding six hits and four runs, all earned, with three walks and two strikeouts.

In the opener, Canisius took a 1-0 lead in the first as Ryan Coppinger (0-4) reached on a fielding error to open the contest, stole second and later scored unearned on an RBI single by Gruarin (4-5, 3 RBI).

Longwood answered with a run in the first, as well, when junior Alex Owens/Purcellville (2-2, 2 RBI) hit a two-out solo homer to right field, also his second this season.  The Lancers added two runs in the third to lead 3-1 as Konvicka (1-4) singled and scored on a one-out RBI single from Owens, while Roth (2-3, RBI), who had also singled, scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Scott Burkett/Williamsburg (1-3, RBI).

Canisius tied it at 3-3 with two runs in the fifth, getting a run-scoring double from Gruarin and an RBI ground out by Puscheck (2-5, 2 RBI).  The Griffins added two more runs in the sixth to lead 5-3 as Jimmy Luppens (2-5, RBI) had an RBI double and Gruarin contributed another run-scoring single.  CC scored a final run in the seventh when Ronnie Bernick (1-2, RBI) added an RBI single.

Longwood scored three runs in the seventh as sophomore Travis Biddix/Richmond (0-3) walked and made it to third on a one-out throwing error that allowed Konvicka to reach base and move on to second.  Biddix scored unearned via a sacrifice fly by Roth and a walk to Owens and an infield single by Burkett loaded the bases with two outs.  Sophomore Brandon Delk/Newport News (1-4, 2 RBI) followed with a two-run single that tied the game at 6-6, but the Lancers chance to win ended when freshman pinch-runner Kenny Cassidy/Chesapeake was out at the plate on an attempted steal.

Canisius plated two decisive runs in the eighth, getting an RBI single from Puscheck before Christian Segar, who pinch-ran for Puscheck, crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Senior Kyler Morgan/Lancaster, Pennsylvania started and pitched the first 6.0 innings for Longwood, allowing 10 hits and five runs, three earned, with three walks and three strikeouts.  Burnette (2-1) took the mound loss in relief for the Lancers, tossing 1.1 innings and yielding three hits and two runs, both earned, with one walk and no strikeouts.

Rohn Pierce started and pitched the first 5.0 innings for Canisius, scattering six hits and three runs, all earned, with one walk and six strikeouts.  Jon Fitzsimmons (2-0) gained the pitching win in relief for the Griffins with the final 3.0 innings, allowing two hits and three unearned runs with three walks and two strikeouts.