The Longwood Lancers (13-11, 3-3) used late inning drama in the first two games of their series against the defending Big South champion Radford Highlanders (6-18, 1-2), clinching their first conference series win of 2016.
On Thursday night, the Lancers used a run in the eighth, ninth and tenth innings to rally from a 2-0 deficit after seven innings. Junior infielder Brandon Harvell had a career-high four hit performance and tied a career-high with two RBI’s to lead the Lancer comeback.
"Coming back from down two to win, it's just an awesome feeling, honestly,” said Harvell on the Longwood athletics official website. "It's just great to be back, and I feel like I'm more confident in the box now and attacking the ball better. It's just good to get a win like that."
Harvell had the game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, then came through again with the game-winning RBI single on the bottom of the tenth, improving the Lancers’ record to 2-1 in extra-inning games as they claimed their third walk-off win of the season.
"I'm awfully proud of the effort those guys put in tonight," Longwood head coach Ryan Mau on the Longwood athletics official website. "I'm really proud of what we did in the back end of the ballgame, to scratch together some offense and find a way to pull this one out."
On Friday, the Lancers were powered by the middle of their lineup as junior designated hitter Alex Lewis and senior first baseman Connar Bastaich went a combined 5-7 with four RBI’s to clinch the series.
"(Lewis) continues to swing the bat extremely well," Mau said. "He's seeing the ball unbelievably well right now and putting some outstanding swings on it for us... It's great to see him and (Bastaich) start something with two outs and obviously (Bastaich) getting a hold of one in the two-run inning."
Freshman starting pitcher Steven Farkas got his first win of the season after allowing three hits in six innings, surrendering two walks and two runs, both earned. The win was just the second decision of the season for Farkas after receiving no-decisions in his first two starts and a loss in a well-pitched effort last week against Coastal Carolina.
"Farkas was awesome," said Mau. "He filled it up. I thought he did a great job of challenging with his fastball getting some poor contact early in counts."
After the Highlanders got back within a run, junior reliever Devin Gould came in and slammed the door in the top of the ninth with two strikeouts and a groundout to secure the 5-4 win.
In the Saturday finale, the Highlanders rallied for three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to overcome a five run fourth inning from the Lancers. The first three batters in the Radford lineup – Chris Coia, Shane Johnsonbaugh and Danny Hrbek – each picked up two hits to help salvage a win in the series and avoid the sweep.
"It would have been nice to have a sweep today, but it's the goal every time out in conference play to win the series," said Mau. "I'm happy to take the series."
Longwood will host Norfolk State and VMI at home before hitting the road for the first time in conference play as they take on the Charleston Southern Buccaneers (11-3, 1-2) this weekend.
