Liberty University
Longwood
Lancers Hold off Flames in Game 2, 7-4
4/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Longwood Lancers erased an early Liberty lead and held off two late inning Flames' scoring threats to defeat Liberty, 7-4, in game two of a Big South doubleheader, Saturday at Charles "Buddy" Bolding Stadium.
Liberty won the first game of the twin bill, 11-3.
Four Flames had two hits each in the contest. Liberty collected 11 total, but left 14 men on base.
Liberty falls to 11-4 in Big South play and 25-15 overall. The Flames took the first two games of the series. Longwood moves to 5-10 in conference and 17-21 overall.
Liberty jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the second. Catcher Becker Sankey drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Third baseman Sammy Taomina followed with a single to score Sankey with the first run of the contest. The Flames plated the first run of the contest in each contest of the three-game series.
After designated hitter Andrew Yacyk and left fielder Josh Close reached to load the bases, second baseman Clay Keranen lined a two-run single into left field for a 3-0 Flames lead.
Longwood tied the contest in the third. The first three batters of the home half of third reached, loading the bases. First baseman Connar Bastaich followed with a two-run single to cut the Liberty advantage to 3-2. Left fielder Kyri Washington then lifted a RBI sacrifice fly, tying the game at 3-3.
After Liberty left the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the fourth, Longwood plated a run in the bottom of the inning. Shortstop Mike Osinski walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Brandon Harvell. Second baseman C.J. Roth then singled to score Osinski for a 4-3 advantage.
The Flames answered with a run in the fifth. Sankey led off the inning with a single back through the middle. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Will Shepherd, Sankey moved to third on a ground out by Taormina. Yacyk followed with a double to tie the contest at 4-4.
Longwood scored three runs in the sixth. After Harvell beat out an infield single, Roth doubled to give the Lancers a 5-4 edge. Center fielder Colton Konvicka followed with a double for a 6-4 advantage. Two batters later, Washington singled with two outs to score Konvicka for what proved to be the final score of 7-4.
Liberty threatened in the eighth against reliever Luke Simpson. The Flames worked runners to the corners with two outs. However, Simpson was able to retire the next batter to end the Liberty threat.
In the ninth, the Flames were able to bring the tying run to the plate with two outs. Shepherd led off the inning with a walk, prompting a Lancers pitching change. After new Longwood pitcher Devin Gould retired the next two batters, pinch hitter Nick Walker walked to move Shepherd to second and bring the tying run to home plate. Gould then retired the final batter to close out the victory and record his third save of the year.
Liberty starting pitcher Shawn Clowers falls to 8-3 on the season. The left-hander allowed six runs on nine hits over 5 1/3-plus innings. He struck out four and walked two batters.
Longwood's Simpson, the second Lancers pitcher of the contest, moves to 3-1. In the longest outing of his career, the right-hander gave up one run on seven hits over 6 1/3-plus innings. He struck out seven and walked three batters.
The Lancers collected 11 hits.
Liberty next travels to Charlottesville, Va., for a contest against the Virginia Cavaliers. First pitch at Davenport Field is scheduled for 6 p.m.
