FARMVILLE, Va. – Nate Blakeney was a combined 4-for-8 with one walk, three runs scored, and two RBI between both games to help lead Longwood to a doubleheader sweep and a series win against Niagara, 8-7 in game one and 5-4 in game two, Saturday at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
Longwood (2-4) strung together a pair of wins behind strong offensive efforts as four Lancers reached safely at least four games between the two games against Niagara (1-2). Senior outfielder Sammy Miller drew six walks in the two games, senior outfielder Ryan Shull was a combined 2-for-7 with two walks, Antwaun Tucker was a combined 4-for-8, and Blakeney went 4-for-8 with one walk.
 
Blakeney, a sophomore native of Archdale, N.C., not only picked up multiple hits in each game, but Blakeney also hit a walk-off single in the home half of the ninth inning of the second game, the second game-winner of his career.
 
"These two wins were huge for us," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau said. "The guys have been working hard and after a tough game yesterday that tested our makeup, seeing how they responded in a doubleheader —a long day for us – it was a really good job. I'm proud of the effort and really excited to get the two wins."
 
After Niagara took the first game of the three-game set Friday, the Lancers needed to take both games Saturday to win the series and responded by putting together 13 runs on 18 hits in the two games, 10 more runs and only three hits fewer than in the first four games combined.
 
"Bouncing back the way we did is not easy," Mau said. "It was a rough go yesterday, but the great thing about this game is we get the chance to play again right away. The guys did a good job of learning from their mistakes and putting them behind them. They went into the games with a lot of confidence today and a lot of energy and focus: they responded like I wanted them to."
 
With the doubleheader sweep the Lancers took the series against Niagara, 2-1.
 
"Overall, we played some really good defense, made some really nice plays defensively, and I'm really excited about the effort today," Mau said. "It was a long day, but a great day. We're going to recharge and look to get back at it this week."
 
With the doubleheader ending the series the Lancers are off Sunday and will next play at home Wednesday against N.C. Central. First pitch against N.C. Central is set for 4 p.m. at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
Game One Longwood 8, Niagara 7
Michael Catlin (1-1) was a tone-setter for Longwood on the mound in game one, picking up the win after 5.1 innings of four-run ball with five strikeouts and no walks. The senior left-hander held Niagara to one run over his first 5.0 innings of work.
 
"Michael Catlin was phenomenal for us and he really set the tone," Mau said. "I thought he had both his slider and his changeup going. He was really tough on their hitters."
 
In the win Blakeney was 2-for-3 with one walk and three runs scored. Joey Mendez, Justin Mitchell, and Tucker each picked up a pair of RBI, Tucker doing so in a 3-for-4 game one.
 
Longwood's offense took off in a wild fifth inning to take advantage of Catlin's start, scoring six runs in the home half of the fifth.
 
"Pinch-hitters coming in off the bench and stepping up seemed to be the story tonight," Mau said. "Eric Crain comes in off the bench, holds his ground on a hit by pitch, and grabs 90 feet for us to get started. Scott Carter, the pinch runner was ready to go, and Joey Mendez with the big double, followed by Mitchell and Tucker put up a big inning which definitely knocked them back a little. We strung a lot of quality at-bats together in that inning, which was great to see."
 
With one out in a 1-1 game, Eric Crain pinch hit for Eli Mercado and was hit by pitch. Carter, representing the tying run, ran for Crain and moved up to second base on a throwing error after Miller flew out to right. After Shull walked, Blakeney walked to load the bases, and Mendez brought in a pair with a double down the left field line, giving Longwood a 3-1 lead. The next batter, Mitchell, doubled to right-center to give the Lancers a 5-1 advantage. Tucker kept the rally going, tripling in the next at-bat, to plate Mendez and Mitchell. Tucker then scored to make it a 7-1 Longwood lead.
 
Niagara bounced back and scored three in the sixth to cut Longwood's lead to 7-4, but the Lancers were able to limit the damage before Niagara could pull even.
 
"Eric Harp came in and was crucial for us to get out of the sixth inning and maintain that lead," Mau said. "We rode him as long as we could and he did an outstanding job."
 
Harp tossed 3.0 innings of two-run ball with five strikeouts, bridging the gap to Tommy Green, who picked up his first career save by getting the final two outs of the game.
 
"For Green to come in and finish the ballgame in a tight situation like that and finish the ballgame, for a freshman to do that is not easy," Mau said. "I'm really proud of him today."
 
The Lancers extended the lead and scored the eventual winning run in the seventh inning. Blakeney led off the frame with a single to center and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mendez. A pair of wild pitches moved Blakeney from second to third and then from third to the plate as Blakeney scored the eventual winning run, making the game 8-4.
 
"It was very important in the bottom of the seventh to get that run in," Mau said. "Mo Blakeney leads us off with a single, Mendez executes a sacrifice, and at the time you wouldn't have known it, but it ended up being the difference. Being able to tack on that run and execute late in the game was critical."
 
Game Two Longwood 5, Niagara 4
The second game of the doubleheader and rubber match of the series came down to the bat of Blakeney, who was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI, his lone hits being an RBI double in the seventh inning to put Longwood up by three runs and then the game-winning RBI single to left in the bottom of the ninth.
 
"It was a tight game, but the guys came up with some big hits when we needed them," Mau said. "Mo Blakeney, I can't say enough about what he did with the clutch hit in the seventh and obviously the walk-off in the ninth. He came up when we needed it."
 
 Cody Boydstun was brilliant Saturday as he was in the starting role for just the second time in his career. The junior right-hander spread out six hits across 7.2 innings of work with eight strikeouts, three walks, and four runs allowed, two earned.
 
"I thought Boydstun got better and better as he went tonight," Mau said. "Unfortunately for it being week two, he had a pitch limit that he hit, so we had to make a move to the bullpen."
 
Boydstun's 113-pitch gem allowed the Lancers to use just two pitchers in the second game, as Tyler Morgan (1-0) pitched the final 1.1 innings of the game with one hit and one strikeout, picking up the win on Blakeney's walk-off single.
 
"Boydstun really got going once he found his changeup in the third inning and from the third inning on he had three pitches going for him," Mau said. "His slider was also going for him, and he was really difficult to get a barrel on once he got going. He was a little shaky in the first inning, but Niagara didn't take advantage of that opportunity and he was able to punch a couple of people out to get out of that inning. Once he settled in I thought he was outstanding."
 
Boydstun had to battle back from early command issues as he allowed a pair of one-out singles and a hit batter to load the bases in the first inning. Boydstun forced in a run on a walk, but then settled down to strike out the next two hitters, beginning of span of six consecutive innings with one or fewer base runners.
 
Tucker started a game-tying rally in the home half of the fourth. With the bases clear and two outs the sophomore shortstop singled to his infield counterpart, beating out an infield single. After Grant Keller was hit by pitch, Mac McCafferty brought in Tucker with a single to right.
 
"McCafferty had a big-time hit to get the scoring started for us," Mau said.
 
The Lancers took the lead with a three-run bottom of the seventh. Jawan McAllister started the rally with a single to left, his second hit of the game. Miller walked to move McAllister, representing the go-ahead run, into scoring position. Shull hit a flare to right field, turning the base hit into a hustle-double as McAllister scored to give Longwood the lead. On the same play Niagara right fielder Trevor McCauley threw the ball away trying to catch Miller heading for third, allowing Longwood's lead-off man to score. Blakeney doubled in the next at-bat to bring in Shull and give the Lancers a 4-1 edge.
 
"Even though he didn't have a hit in the books, Sammy Miller was big for us," Mau said. "He squared up a ball and then drew four straight walks, so he had five quality at-bats for us."
 
Niagara quickly knotted the game at four in the top of the eighth. Purple Eagles lead-off hitter Dawson Bailey singled to start the frame. After a fielder's choice, Greg Cullen singled to right, bringing the tying run to the plate. After a strikeout, Boydstun allowed a single to McCauley, bringing in a run, cutting the Longwood lead to 4-2. Morgan was then brought in to relieve Boydstun. The next batter, Wyatt Olson, hit a high fly ball to right field that Shull dropped, an error that brought in the two tying runs.
 
With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth, pinch-hitter Jack Schnell started the winning rally. The freshman raked a single to right-center field. Representing the winning run, Carter was brought in to run for Schnell. McAllister moved Carter into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher. On a passed ball with one out, Carter moved up 90 feet to third base and Niagara opted to intentionally walk Miller and Shull to fill the bases and face Blakeney. On the first pitch of the at-bat Blakeney rocketed the offering fair down the left field line, bringing in Carter to earn the doubleheader sweep for the Lancers.
 
"Overall I'm really proud of the offensive effort," Mau said. "For Jack Schnell, a freshman, to come off the bench and start that inning for us says a lot about him and we're excited about that guy and what he's capable of."
 
The win is Longwood's first walk-off win of the season and puts the Lancers' record at 2-1 at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
#GoWood