Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – Visiting Longwood plated two runs in the top of the eighth inning to rally for a 3-2 win over Norfolk State 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
The loss was the third in a row for the Spartans (3-4), all coming with NSU holding a lead into the latter stages.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. First baseman Chase Bailey (Roanoke, Va.) reached with two outs on catcher's interference. Catcher John Boyd III (Hempstead, N.Y.) followed with a two-run home run over the right-field fence, his first homer of the season.
Longwood (4-3) got one run back in the third. Marcus Powell led off with a single off NSU starter Jason Barker (Chesapeake, Va.). Powell moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt, and to third on a wild pitch. He would score on a groundout by Robbie Bailey.
The Lancers took the lead in the top of the eighth. NSU reliever Marcus Taylor (Tampa, Fla.), the fourth Spartans' pitcher of the day, walked Bailey and Scott Kimble with one out. NSU brought in closer Frankie Caldeyro (Portsmouth, Va.), but he was greeted with a game-tying single by Jon Quigley. Paul Heidler then gave the Lancers a 3-2 lead with a two-out RBI double to left-center, scoring Quigley.
NSU threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Designated hitter Brandon Hairston (North Garden, Va.) led off with a single, his second hit of the day. Ryan Wiggins (Hayes, Va.) sacrificed pinch runner Billy Canady (Philadelphia, Pa.) to second. Canady moved to third on a groundout, but Longwood reliever Isaac Weiderman got John Lynch (Newport News, Va.) to ground out to end it.
The loss spoiled a solid outing for Barker. He pitched five innings and allowed just two hits and one unearned run. He struck out two and walked none.
Chris Briere (1-0) got the win for Longwood. He pitched seven innings and allowed six hits and two runs, both unearned, to go with nine strikeouts. Weiderman got the save, pitching the final two innings scoreless.
Lynch and Hairston each had two hits for NSU, which out-hit the Lancers 7-4. Powell had two hits for Longwood.
NSU hosts North Carolina Central in a four-game series this weekend, beginning with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.
