19 games into their 2013 campaign, the Longwood baseball team sports a 10-9 record with 29 games to play. Despite an injury-laden season, the team is making strides to continually improve on a daily basis.
“Baseball is one of those sports where you need to get your repetitions in. The more that our guys see live pitching, the more I think we will improve,” says Assistant Coach Brian McCullough.
“Our big thing is just trying to get healthy. Two of our starters have been out half the season, but we have been lucky enough to have guys who can step up and do well, and so far they have,” he later added.
Freshman Blake Ream, usually a starting pitcher for the Lancers, has been called on to play in the outfield each of the last five games and has responded by posting a .368 batting average (7- for-19) with seven hits. A staggering four of those seven hits have been homeruns. With Ream and others on fire at the plate, and Kyler Morgan, Brandon Vick and Aaron Myers throwing well, the Lancers were able to win two of three games against UNC-Asheville in their first-ever Big South series.
“For those guys to step up is huge. They have been invaluable to our team, and in our lineup,” said McCullough.
In Friday’s game, Morgan led the way, going seven innings, striking out five and only giving up three earned runs on the way to the 7-4 win. Vick followed the leader with a great outing on Saturday, going 6.2 innings, striking out four and only one earned run to get his first win of the season 8-3. Despite 5.2 strong innings from Ream during Sunday’s matchup, the Lancers couldn’t quite pull out the broomsticks to sweep the series, losing 11-1.
After a respectable opening Big South series, it won’t get any easier for the Lancers.
Today, they will travel to Williamsburg to face a 12-8 William & Mary team out of the Colonial Athletic Association, followed by a weekend series with VMI at home in their second Big South series of the season.
While the Lancers are content with last weekend’s results, they know they have a full load ahead of them.
McCullough said, “Last weekend doesn’t mean anything going into this weekend against VMI. We have to continue to work hard because VMI isn’t going to give us anything; they are a good ball club.”
