HIGH POINT, N.C. – Domonic Fazio drove in four runs and Andre Scrubb struck out 11 batters as High Point raced past Longwood, 7-2, Saturday afternoon at Williard Stadium.
Fazio was 3-for-3 and had the go-ahead three-run double in the fifth inning of the win for High Point (21-10, 6-2 Big South). Scrubb pitched 8.0 innings of two-run ball and struck out 11 batters and held the Lancers to three hits and three walks.
"Scrubb had all three pitches working and we just couldn't figure him out," Longwood head coach
Ryan Mau said after the game. "They got the big hit tonight. [Fazio's] double the left field line was the difference."
Longwood (19-13, 7-4 Big South) led 2-0 after
Drew Kitson hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning, but a two-run rally in the home half of the frame tied the game. In the fifth inning Fazio's bases-clearing double put the Panthers ahead for good. Fazio added an RBI single in the seventh inning as the Panthers added a pair of insurance runs in the half inning.
Scrubb (6-2) picked up the win with his quality start and outdueled Longwood freshman lefty
Steven Farkas, who did not factor into the decision.
Ryan Jones (1-2) took the loss after allowing the fifth-inning rally. Jones came on in relief for Farkas in the fourth inning and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout in 1.0 innings out of the bullpen.
Longwood got on the board with Kitson's home run in the fourth inning, his third of the season. Ahead of the blast,
Connar Bastaich drew a walk and set up the two-run home run. Kitson, the junior outfielder, finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk and the two-run shot.
It was a windy day at High Point and there were two home runs in the game, the second was a solo home run by Austen Zente. The sophomore hit his first homer of the season in the first at-bat of the home half of the fourth and sparked the game-tying rally for High Point.
"[Zente] hit a fly ball that got in the wind and carried out for a home run," Mau said. "Farkas struggled to settle back down after that and High Point took advantage."
In the loss Kitson,
Sammy Miller, and
Brandon Harvell each reached base twice. Miller finished 1-for-3 with a walk and Harvell was 0-for-2 with a pair of free passes.
Alex Lewis was the only other Lancer to reach safely, picking up a two-out single in the top of the first inning. Lewis was 1-for-3 in the game and extended his team-best hit streak to 15 games.
The loss for Jones was just the fifth loss charged to the bullpen, which owns an 11-5 record on the season. The last loss charged to the bullpen before Saturday was Longwood's 6-5 loss against Radford March 26.
The Lancers can salvage the series by taking the rubber match Sunday afternoon at High Point. First pitch at Williard Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.
#GoWood
