BOILING SPRINGS – Longwood scored two runs in the third, fourth, seventh and ninth innings Friday night to slowly pull away in an 8-1 win over Gardner-Webb.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (20-29, 6-16 Big South) broke up the shutout in the ninth, getting a leadoff triple from pinch hitter Patrick Graham and an RBI double off the fence in left center from Gage Parham.
Longwood (20-27, 8-11 Big South) starter Aaron Myers settled in from there, getting a strikeout, a pop up and a ground ball to end the game.
The Lancers used their speed in the third inning to go on top, getting a single up the box from Michael Osinski and an infield hit from C.J. Roth to get two on board. A sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position and Brandon Harvell singled to shallow left center for a 1-0 lead.
Kyri Washington then grounded out to second, but Roth scored on the play for a 2-0 edge.
In the fourth, Longwood got an infield single from Connar Bastaich to lead off, then Brandon Delk lined a hard, two-run home run over the fence in dead center for a 4-0 lead. Washington then pushed the lead to 5-0 in the seventh with a long RBI single off the fence in left – and Travis Biddix made the score 6-0 with a long sacrifice fly to left.
Washington capped the scoring in the top of the ninth, blasting a towering, two-run home run over the trees in left center.
Myers (4-8) went the distance on the mound for Longwood, scattering six hits and fanning nine while allowing just one run. The big righty tossed 128 pitches in the game.
Longwood had 13 hits, with Colton Konvicka (2-for-4), Washington (2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI) and Roth (3-for-4, two runs) leading the way.
Erik Heiligenstadt (4-6) took the mound loss for Gardner-Webb, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits in 6.1 innings of work. He fanned four and did not issue a free pass. Beau Hilton threw 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Paul Trick (2-for-4) led Gardner-Webb's six-hit offensive effort on Friday night.
The two teams will meet again at 6:00 pm Saturday, which will be Senior Day for 10 Gardner-Webb student-athletes. The game will air live on The Big South Network.
