LEXINGTON, VA. – Alex Lewis' two-run double capped off a three-run first inning as the Lancers led wire-to-wire in a 5-2 win Wednesday at Gray-Minor Stadium.
 
"It's a great in-state win for us," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said after the win. "We've won back-to-back midweek games and four of our last five and we're starting to play some pretty good ball."
 
Lewis and senior captain C.J. Roth each hit run-scoring doubles in the first inning to start Longwood's offense. Longwood (4-4) never trailed in its first road win of the season and outhit VMI (5-5) 7-to-2.
 
"That's a couple of games now that we've jumped on the board early and it helps the pitching staff settle it," Mau said. "It's a little easier pitching with a lead and that was a nice big inning to put us on the board early."
 
The offense backed a quality start from junior righty Cody Wager (2-0) in his second appearance and first start of the season. Wager went six innings and allowed two runs on two hits with two strikeouts and four walks, Longwood's first quality start of the season.
 
"Wager was outstanding," Mau said. "He competed, challenged the zone, and kept their hitters off-balance all day. He did a great job."
 
Wager outdueled VMI's Micah Gorman (0-2), who took the loss after allowing all five runs in four innings of work. Steven Farkas picked up a three-inning save (1) in relief for Longwood.
 
Farkas pitched well in his second appearance of the season. The freshman turned in a spotless seventh inning in relief of Wager and sat down the first four batters he faced. Farkas in all went three innings with four strikeouts and the only baserunner allowed was a hit batter in the eighth inning.
 
"Steven Farkas was outstanding," Mau said. "For a freshman in his second collegiate appearance to come into the spot he did on a cold night in a save situation and put up three zeroes is great. His control was outstanding, he attacked with his fastball and really pitched well off of it. It's great to see another freshman step up for us in a big role."
 
Lewis' first inning two-run double added to his powerful start to the season. The junior went 1-for-4 with one double and two RBI. Lewis is tied for the team lead with three doubles and leads all Lancers with four extra-base hits and eight RBI.
 
Roth also finished with a solid game. The second baseman went 2-for-5 and upped his season batting average to .368 (7-for-19). In addition to Wednesday's performance at VMI, Roth drove in the go-ahead run of Tuesday win against VCU with a sixth inning two-run single.
 
"The quality of the at bats Roth strings together for us don't even all show up in the stat column," Mau said. "He's a sparkplug for us and we'll look for him to continue that as we go forward."
 
After Roth and Lewis led the Lancers to a three-nothing lead Wager headed to the mound. The top half of the first inning lasted nearly half an hour after Longwood sent eight batters to the plate in the rally. Wager had to go out to the bullpen in right field to warm back up before throwing his first pitch of the game, but responded with a strong first inning of work.
 
"We're trying to as a pitching staff prevent answer-back innings," Mau said. "Our goal is that when we score they don't. That was imperative that we keep the momentum on our side and play with the lead all day."
 
VMI first got on the board in the second inning. Outfielder Matt Pita turned a Wager offering into a solo home run to left-center to make it a 3-1 Longwood lead. The Keydets would not get to Wager again until a ground out in the sixth inning drove in the second run charged against him.
 
Michael Osinski drew a pair of walks in the win and scored twice. The sophomore shortstop leads Longwood with eight runs scored on the year and in walks with five bases on balls.
 
"Osinski had some good at bats and he's getting pitched to pretty tough in the middle of the lineup," Mau said. "He's doing a good job of laying off from breaking balls and taking free passes when they present themselves."
 
Mau and assistant coach Travis Thomas each made a homecoming with the game at VMI. Mau was an assistant coach for five seasons from 2006 through the 2010 season and was the associate head coach in his final season in Lexington. Thomas graduated from VMI in 2014 after spending five seasons with the Keydets as a right-handed pitcher.
 
Mau's Lancers return to Buddy Bolding Stadium for a three-game weekend series against Fairleigh Dickinson. Longwood will sponsor a PEFYA Team of the Game each day and will allow kids to run the bases after Sunday's game. The Lancers and Devils begin their three-game set Friday at 3 p.m.
 
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