March 23, 2008

Box Score

Farmville, Va. - Nick von Gersdorff hit a two-out, two-run walk-off home run to cap a three-run ninth and lead the Longwood Lancers to a 8-6 victory over the Stony Brook University baseball team in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Lancer Stadium. Stony Brook falls to 6-9 with the loss while the Lancers improve to 14-8.

The Seawolves took a 6-5 lead with two runs in the top of the ninth as the Seawolves loaded the bases with one out. Freshman Nick Thode (Huntington Station, N.Y.) then grounded the ball to the shortstop Scott Kimble who stepped on second to record the second out as freshman Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) scored to tie the game. But he then threw the ball away allowing junior Jeremy Nowak (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) to come around and score the go-ahead run.

But Robbie Bailey singled against Seawolves freshman Evan Stecko-Haley (Coral Springs, Fla.) to begin the bottom of the ninth and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Justin Morreim followed with a single to left to drive home Bailey and tie the game at 6. Morreim moved to second on another sacrifice bunt brining up von Gersdorff who smashed a two-run shot to left-center to give the Lancers the victory.

Stony Brook jumped to an early lead with three runs in the first highlighted by run-scoring singles from junior Stephen Mazzurco (Selden, N.Y.) and Thode. The Lancers battled back though, getting two runs in the fourth and then two more in the fifth on RBI singles from Morreim and David Smiy Jr. to take the lead.

Nowak tied the game with a one-out RBI single in the seventh but the Lancers grabbed the lead back with a run in the eighth setting the stage for the ninth. Sophomore Matt Harloff (Valley Stream, N.Y.) got a no-decision for the Seawolves, allowing five runs and nine hits in 7.0 innings of work. Nowak and Mazzurco led the Stony Brook offense with two hits apiece.

Lance Harting picked up the victory for the Lancers, giving up an unearned run and hit in his 1.0 inning of work.

The Seawolves return to action on Wednesday, traveling to take on Fordham. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.