5.14.2012

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University won its only game played this past week, winning on the road at Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) member Old Dominion University 9-7 on May 8.  The Lancers are now 23-19 overall, including 15-14 at home and 8-5 in road games. Longwood will play its final six games of the season this week, including at the College of William and Mary of the CAA on May 14 in Williamsburg at 7 p.m., and home against visiting James Madison University of the CAA on May 15 at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium in Farmville at 6 p.m., before a pair of season-ending doubleheaders at Rider University of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) on May 18-19 in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

The Head Coach
Charles Buddy Bolding is in his 35th year at Longwood during 2012. He has an outstanding overall record of 923-514-4 since taking over during the fall of 1978, including 30 winning seasons as mentor of the tradition-rich program.  Coach Bolding earned his milestone 900th collegiate coaching victory May 10, 2011 during a 6-4 road win at James Madison.  The University dedicated the baseball facility as Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium on October 3, 2009.

A Look At Longwood Offensively | Season Statistics
Longwood is batting .296 through 42 games while averaging 5.8 runs with 30 home runs, eight triples, 92 doubles, 225 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. The Lancers continue to be led by junior Justin Lacy|Glen Allen (J.R. Tucker) (.390, 5 HR, 11 2B, 30 RBI, 32 R) with 19 multi-hit and seven multi-RBI games, a .558 slugging percentage, and a .478 on-base percentage.  Sophomore Scott Burkett|Williamsburg (Jamestown) (.371, 6 HR, 2 3B, 15 2B, 32 RBI, 25 R, 2 SB), senior captain Robby Newman|Virginia Beach (Salem) (.344, 10 HR, 1 3B, 17 2B, 43 RBI, 37 runs, 5 SB), and freshman Brandon Delk|Newport News (Warwick) (.307, 3 HR, 1 3B, 6 2B, 20 RBI, 20 R, 8 SB) are also hitting above .300 this week. Others hitting well include sophomore captain Matt Dickason|Chesapeake (Indian River) (.291, 1 HR, 13 2B, 25 RBI, 30 R, 4 SB), classmate Alex Owens|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (.277, 4 HR, 8 2B, 26 RBI, 19 R, 3 SB), and freshman Joey Varaksa|Charlottesville (Albemarle) (.276, 1 HR, 1 3B, 6 2B, 14 RBI, 18 R, 2 SB).

A Look At Longwood Pitching | Season Statistics
Longwood sports a 4.56 team earned run average through 357.0 innings with 245 strikeouts.  The Lancers have been led by sophomore RHP Ryan Schubert|Springfield (Annandale) (4-1, 2.92 ERA, 24.2 IP, 16K, two saves, 15 appearances), freshman RHP Tyler Wislocki|Annandale (W.T. Woodson) (2-0, 3.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 16K, 16 appearances-one start), junior RHP Kyler Morgan|Lancaster, Pa. (Lampeter-Strasburg) (5-5, 3.76 ERA, 67.0 IP, 39K, 12 appearances-11 starts-four complete games), and freshman RHP Aaron Myers|Newport News (Denbigh) (1-0, 3.76 ERA, 40.2 IP, 44K, three saves, 20 appearances).  Others throwing well from the mound include senior captain and RHP Matt Gwaltney|Chesterfield (Matoaca) (2-4, 4.32 ERA, 77.0 IP, 49K, two saves, 13 appearances-nine starts-four complete games), and freshman LHP Brandon Vick|Newport News (Warwick) (5-2, 4.60 ERA, 45.0 IP, 35K, 12 appearances-nine starts).

NCAA Statistics
Through games of May 6, Longwood ranked 32nd in Division I slugging percentage (.436), 50th in both batting average (.294) 57th in both doubles (88) and fewest walks allowed (3.03), 58th in home runs (30), 60th in sacrifice bunts (46), and 92nd in both on-base percentage (.370) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.07).  Matt Gwaltney ranked seventh nationally in fewest walks allowed (0.89), 14th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.86), and 22nd in complete games (4).  Robby Newman ranked 18th in slugging percentage (.660), 49th in home runs (10), 53rd in doubles (16), 88th in total bases (101), and 96th in RBI (42).  Justin Lacy ranked 18th in batting average (.397) and 26th in on-base percentage (.480).  Kyler Morgan ranked 22nd in complete games (4).  Scott Burkett ranked 33rd in slugging percentage (.625) and 91st in batting average (.368).  Freshman Travis Biddix|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) ranked 37th in sacrifice bunts (12).

It's My Day
Matt Gwaltney enjoyed quite a game on Senior Night during a 7-1 home win against UMES (4.27).  The fourth-year player started on the mound and pitched a complete-game victory, limiting the Hawks to only three hits and one earned run over the 9.0 innings with no walks and a career-high tying 11 strikeouts.  He also had four plate appearances while 2-2 with two doubles, three runs scored, a walk, and a sacrifice bunt while adding one assist in the field as well.

What A Day
Longwood posted season-highs for at bats (46), runs (23), hits (20), home runs (6), RBI (23), and total bases (43) during a 23-8 road win at North Carolina Central (4.8).  Alex Owens (4-4, 7 RBI) hit three home runs among his four hits and seven RBI, Robby Newman (2-6, 5 RBI) had two homers with five RBI, and Justin Lacy (2-5, 2 RBI) added a home run among two hits and two RBI. It's the most runs scored by the Lancers since a 24-12 road win at Campbell in 2010.

Let's Go To The Park
Alex Owens tied a school record with his three home runs at North Carolina Central (4.8) -- last accomplished by Charlie Yarbrough in 2005, while tying for second-best all-time marks for runs (5), RBI (7), and total bases (13) in a game.  The second-year third baseman has now played two games at the Durham Athletic Park in his two seasons, and is six-for-seven (.857) with five home runs and 12 RBI at the renovated former home to the minor league Durham Bulls and the location where the 1988 baseball movie “Bull Durham” was filmed.

Season Superlatives
Alex Owens had four hits, including three home runs, seven RBI, five runs, and 13 total bases at North Carolina Central (4.8). Owens drew four walks against N.C. Central (3.27), and had seven assists at Coppin State (2.26).  Joey Varaksa (4-4) had four hits against Niagara (3.11), Justin Lacy (4-5) had four hits at N.C. Central (4.7), Scott Burkett (4-5) had four hits at N.C. Central (4.8), and Brandon Delk (4-4) had four hits at VMI (4.11).  Matt Dickason had three doubles at Coppin State (2.26), two steals at Coppin State (2.25), and seven assists against Temple (3.4).  Justin Lacy had 16 putouts at Coppin State (2.25).  Travis Biddix had two sacrifice bunts against Temple (3.3), and seven assists at Old Dominion (5.8). Freshman Conner Hall|Mechanicsville (Atlee) had two sac bunts against Niagara (3.10), and sophomore Zach Mihalko|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) had two sac bunts at George Mason (4.18).  Brandon Delk had two steals at Coppin State (2.25).  Kyler Morgan pitched a complete-game, four-hit shutout with no walks and seven strikeouts at Coppin State (2.25), and also pitched complete games against Cornell (3.23), at N.C. Central (4.7), and against N.C. A&T (4.26).  Matt Gwaltney had 11 strikeouts each during complete-game efforts against George Washington (3.30) and UMES (4.27), the latter while yielding only three hits with no walks, and he also pitched complete games against Cornell (3.23) and at Campbell (3.17).

Current Streaks Of Note
Scott Burkett has a current seven-game hitting streak (12-27, .444), and a 12-game streak of reaching base.  Justin Lacy has a current 10-game streak of reaching base. Conner Hall has a current eight-game streak of reaching base.  Junior Bobby Shelton|Forest (Jefferson Forest) has not allowed an earned run in his last six appearances over 9.0 innings with eight strikeouts.  Aaron Myers has allowed only three earned runs (1.45) in his last nine appearances over 18.2 innings with 22 strikeouts (10.61).

Late-Game Heroics | Miscellaneous Marks
Longwood has won six home games this season during its final at-bat, including Iona (2.18, 6-5), Temple (3.3, 7-6), Temple (3.4, 3-2), Norfolk State (3.7, 4-3), and North Carolina A&T (4.21, 4-3, 4-3). Against Iona, Alex Owens provided a two-out RBI single.  Against Temple the first time, it was Matt Gwaltney with a one-out, pinch-hit RBI single.  Against Temple the next day, Brandon Delk hit a one-out, run-scoring single.  Against Norfolk State, it was Robby Newman with a two-out, two-run double.  Against N.C. A&T in game one, Justin Lacy hit a one-out, RBI single, and in game two, Conner Hall had a one-out sacrifice fly to score the winning and game-ending run.  Longwood is a perfect 18-0 this season when out-hitting opponents, 19-2 when leading after six innings, 16-2 when leading after seven innings, and 13-2 when leading after eight innings.

Home Field Advantage
Longwood has an overall record of 337-143 (.702) at Bolding Stadium, though an uncharacteristic 15-14 at home this season after going 17-9 a year ago.  The Lancers are 77-54 (.588) in Farmville since becoming Division I-eligible for 2008.  Longwood inaugurated competition at the completely renovated facility (formerly Lancer Stadium) in 1994, and won that first game 8-3 vs. Davis & Elkins (W.Va.) on March 12, 1994.

This Week's Opponents
William and Mary is 28-23 overall, 11-16 in the CAA while coached by seventh-year head coach Frank Leoni.  Longwood and the Tribe have met 27 times previously as W&M leads the all-time series at 18-9 since first playing in 1982, including a 6-0 road win in Farmville last month (4.4).

James Madison is 16-31-2 overall, 10-17 in the CAA while coached by 15th-year head coach Joe McFarland.  Longwood and the Dukes have met 20 times previously as JMU leads the all-time series at 13-7 since first playing in 1982, including a 13-7 home win in Harrisonburg earlier this season (2.22).

Rider is 20-29 overall, 13-11 in the MAAC while coached by eighth-year head coach Barry Davis.  The Broncs were scheduled to host Temple on May 15. Longwood and Rider have met seven times previously as the Lancers lead the all-time series at 4-3 since first playing in 2006.

Up Next
Longwood is completing its 2012 campaign with this week's action.