FARMVILLE, Va. – Liberty catcher Becker Sankey tied the Big South lead with his 10th home run of the season as the Flames used a pair of three-run frames to take the series opener, 7-4, over Longwood Friday night a Buddy Bolding Stadium.

It was a typical Friday night as Aaron Myers and Victor Cole dueled on the mound. Myers (3-7) took yet another tough loss, going seven innings and allowing six runs, all earned, on just four hits and striking out seven. While the senior ace was effective, Myers was bitten by five free passes, four coming on walks and the fifth being a hit batsman.

Both Brandon Harvell and Michael Osinski finished with 2-for-4 nights in a revamped Longwood order. The sophomore third baseman Harvell leapt to the two-hole today and provided a spark at the top of the order. Meanwhile the freshman shortstop Osinski delivered the Lancers' first run of the day on a single, giving him 11 RBI in the past 11 games.

"We had to shake things up a little today and I thought Brandon did a great job in the two-hole for us," said head coach Ryan Mau. "Oz has been pretty consistent for us down in the six-spot and I like what he's showing us, now we just need a little more production from the top of the lineup early in the game."

After Sankey deposited a three-run home run over the left field wall in the fourth to make it a 4-0 Liberty lead, the Lancers jumped right back in the game with a pair of runs in the bottom half. Michael Osinski delivered an RBI-single and later scored on C.J. Roth's sacrifice fly to pull the Lancers within two.

But, Longwood would miss out on a golden opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, as Victor Cole wiggled off the hook to strand runners at the corners with just one out. Liberty, in turn responded with three runs in the top half of the eighth to break the game open.

"I thought we came out with a lot of focus and a lot of effort," said  Mau. "We played pretty well, Aaron wasn't sharp from the get-go, but he grinded it out for us. When you give up five hits, four of them singles and just one extra-base hit, you feel pretty good about yourself at the end of the day. Unfortunately, we paired that with nine free passes and that's where the game got away from us."

Liberty jumped to the early lead in the top of the first, despite not having a hit in the frame.  Ashton Perritt drew a four-pitch walk to open the game and stole second. The Liberty center fielder advanced to third on dropped third strike as Mac McCafferty had to throw to first for the out. Perritt would score a batter later in the exact same fashion, taking home on a wild pitch which bounced up the first base line and forced McCafferty to throw to first for the out.

The Flames extended their lead in the fourth as a leadoff single and hit batsman set the table for Becker Sankey's three-run blast, making it 4-0 Liberty.

Yet, Longwood fired right back, applying the pressure to Liberty and capitalizing on a pair of Flames errors in the inning to scratch two runs. Brandon Delk reached on an error as pitcher Victor Cole rushed his throw on a dribbler back to the mound, sending Delk to second on the errant toss. Osinksi brought Delk home on the very next pitch with a rope to left field, making it a 4-1 game. The next batter, Sammy Miller, reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt as the Liberty first baseman dropped the flip from Cole. 

After a sacrifice bunt from McCafferty, C.J. Roth delivered the Lancers' second run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Once more, the game was on.

"The big home run by Sankey deflated us a bit," said Mau, "but I was really proud of the way we fired right back with two runs."

Both Myers and Cole settled back into a groove after the fourth, sending the game through the middle innings stuck at 4-2.

The Lancers had the next chance and what a chance it was as the blue and white put men on the corners with just one out following the stretch. Singles from Roth and Brandon Harvell, who finished the day 2-for-4 in a jump into the two-hole, set the table for the heart of Longwood's order. However, Cole bowed up on the mound and produced back-to-back strikeouts to end the game and swing the momentum into the Liberty dugout.

The Flames jumped on their opportunity to break the game open as a walk and single chased Myers from the game. With Mitchell Kuebbing on in relief, the Lancers had a chance for a double-play ball as Alex Close ripped a ball back through the box which Roth stopped with a diving effort. The second baseman popped to his feet, stepped on second and fired a throw to first, which, unfortunately for Longwood, said high. Three walks followed before Andrew Yacyk plated a pair of runs with his single to center field, establishing a 7-2 Liberty lead.

The blue and white did not go quietly though as Longwood scored two in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate. The inning started with Hayes Nelson, who came on defensively in the top half, lining a single up the middle.  A walk to Harvell put two aboard with two outs for Connar Bastaich who blooped an RBI-single to right before Delk followed with a drive to right center to plate another. With the tying run at the plate, Liberty closer Alex Close induced a ground ball to second, securing the victory for the Flames.

"The first thing we addressed postgame was the outstanding job of continuing to fight and fighting to the last out," said Mau. "Getting to their closer was big for us, it gave us a chance to see him and it might help us over the next two days."   

Longwood and Liberty are scheduled to continue the series at 4 p.m. Saturday on Alumni Day at Buddy Bolding Stadium. Festivities will begin with an alumni tailgate before the game and the retirement of former coach Buddy Bolding's No. 16 jersey approximately 30 minutes prior to first pitch. With weather expected to impact the area on Sunday, Longwood and Liberty may complete the series with a doubleheader tomorrow. Stay tuned to LongwoodLancers.com or follow @LongwoodBase and @LongwoodLancers on Twitter for the latest updates.

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