Elon defeated Longwood 5-3 to win their third straight contest that was decided by two or less runs. The series sweep brings Elon’s record above the .500 mark with their fourth win of the season.
Redshirt-juniors Ryan Gregory and Michael Peterson both had two hit days for the Lancers. Michael Peterson is batting .400 for Longwood and has started every game. Both players had a run a piece and Peterson added an RBI.
The top third of Elon’s (4-3) batting order had a productive day with four hits and three RBI’s scattered amongst the three. Alex Iadisernia reached base twice with a triple and a walk and added two RBI’s and a run himself.
Brian Edgington got the start on the mound for Elon. Edgington went six innings allowing one earned run on six hits and striking out 10. Kyle Greenler (2-0) finished the game off for his side and surrendered just one baserunner on the way to his second win on the weekend.
The Phoenix struck early in the bottom half of the first with a Iadisernia triple that scored Alex Duffey. Iadisernia would later score on a sacrifice fly from Willie Havens to add to their early lead.
Longwood (3-5) responded in the top half of the third when a throwing error scored Michael Peterson.
The Phoenix would answer immediately in the bottom half of the inning through a sacrifice fly from Iadisernia.
The Lancers would not go down easy. In the top half of the seventh, Ryan Gregory scored on a wild pitch, and Eliot Dix would cross home when there was a fielding error, tying the game.
Elon would again respond in the home half of the seventh inning, this time through a pair of base hits from Carlos Marte and Duffey.
Dominick D’Ercole started on the mound for Longwood. D’Ercole went three innings giving up three hits and three earned runs. Noah Eaker (0-1) came on in relief and pitched 3.2 innings, striking out five while surrendering three hits and two runs, and picking up the loss. A combination of JR Parrish, Sean Gibbons and Nick Karlinchak finished the game out for the Lancers. The trio of relief pitchers allowed one hit and three walks, but no runs.
“We are very close,” said head coach Chad Oxendine following the three straight nail biters, “we have a couple of little things we need to clean up. We will continue to trust the process and we will not stop competing!”
Longwood baseball return to action Tuesday, March 1st when they travel to Chapel Hill to take on the University of North Carolina at 3 p.m.
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