5.15.2012

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University took a 4-1 baseball victory past in-state school James Madison University of the Colonial Athletic Association Tuesday night in its home finale at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium in Farmville.  The Lancers (24-20) were led by senior captains Robby Newman|Virginia Beach (Salem) with two solo home runs, and Matt Gwaltney|Chesterfield (Matoaca) with three hits and an RBI, while freshman Brandon Vick|Newport News (Warwick) gained the pitching win against the visiting Dukes (16-32-2).  Longwood will play a pair of season-ending doubleheaders at Rider University of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this weekend, May 18-19, in Lawrenceville, New Jersey -- beginning Friday at 12 p.m.

Longwood took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Newman (2-3, 2 RBI) hit a towering drive to left field for his 11th home run this season, a solo shot with one out during the team's at-bat.  The Lancers made it 2-0 in the fourth as Newman drew a lead-off walk, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a two-out RBI single by Gwaltney (3-4, RBI).

James Madison got on the scoreboard with a run in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk to Casey Goss (0-3, RBI) that plated pinch-runner Colby Roberts (0-1).  Roberts was running for Nick Merullo (0-1) who had walked as well, and the Dukes had an opportunity to do more damage as the bases remained loaded with no outs ... Freshman Tyler Wislocki|Annandale (W.T. Woodson), however, induced a foul-out, fly-ball out, and a strikeout to halt the threat.

Longwood added two insurance runs in the eighth after Newman led-off with another solo home run to left field, this time on ball that quickly got over the fence for his team-leading 12th homer this season, and freshman Travis Biddix|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) (2-4, RBI) later followed with a one-out RBI single that scored junior Bobby Shelton|Forest (Jefferson Forest) (0-0) who was pinch-running for freshman Conner Hall|Mechaniscville (Atlee) (1-3) who had reached on a fielder's choice.  Classmate Joey Varaksa|Charlottesville (Albemarle) (1-4) made two excellent diving catches in left center field during the contest as well.

Vick (6-2) started and gained the pitching win on a staff night for Longwood with the first 3.0 scoreless innings, scattering two hits with one walk and two strikeouts -- his team-leading sixth win this season.  Freshman Aaron Myers|Newport News (Denbigh) was the fifth pitcher for the Lancers and tossed the final 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits with two walks and three strikeouts for the save -- his team-leading fourth this year.  Wislocki went the scoreless inning, yielding no hits with one walk and one strikeout.

Nick Slogik (0-6) started and took the mound loss on a staff night for JMU with the first 2.0 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run with no walks and no strikeouts.  Chad Carroll (2-5) had two hits to lead the Dukes.

Longwood and JMU have met 21 times since first playing in 1982, and the Dukes continue to lead the all-time series at 13-8, including a 13-7 home win in Harrisonburg earlier this season (2.22).