The Longwood Lancers defeated the North Carolina A&T Aggies 6-2. The victory brings their conference wins total to three on the season
Eliot Dix led the Lancers offensively. Dix went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored himself. The Maplewood, New Jersey native had a two run blast late in the game and flashed the leather all night at third base.
Longwood scored in in the first inning when Gregory Ryan grounded out to second base, allowing Hayden Harris scored from third. Elliot Dix would follow up with an RBI single that saw Michael Peterson cross home.
The Aggies would responded immediately in the home half of the first through a Camden Jackson single that scored Cameran Brantley. A&T would load the bases with one out, but Potojecki struck out consecutive batters to avoid the damage.
The Lancers continued to have a hot bat in the top half of the second. This time it was Harris who doubled home Drayven Kowalski to bring Longwood’s lead back up to two runs.
Elliot Dix added to the cushion with a two-run blast over the right field fence that saw Gregory Ryan cross home after him, himself doubled.
North Carolina A&T got one back in the bottom of the eighth through a Shemar Dalton single that scored TJ Ash.
Longwood got an insurance run in their half of the ninth through a Michael Peterson single that scored Harris.
Andrew Potojecki (4-1) was on the mound for Longwood, and dealt his third consecutive quality start. Poto went five innings and surrendered just one run on nine hits, four strikeouts on his way to his third consecutive win. Dylan Saale came on in relief and pitched 2.1 innings. Saale gave up one run on three hits and struck out two.
Michael Tolson came on with runners on first and second in the bottom of the eighth and produced a double play on his first pitch to get out of a potential jam. Tolson finished the last 1.2 innings and earned his second save of the season
The Lancers defense was incredible all night behind strong pitching. Individual efforts from Elliot Dix, Gregory Ryan, Hayden Harris and Hunter Gilliam led Longwood to four double plays and took the bulk of the put outs.
“It starts with Poto, he’s our Friday night guy,” said head coach Chad Oxendine. “He really didn’t have his plus stuff tonight, he just kept competing and kept us in the game. He gave us a chance to extend the lead and keep grinding. The bullpen in Dylan Saale and Michael Tolson did exactly what we needed them to do. Just throw strikes give us a chance to play defense and able to keep the lead on Friday night.
Longwood returns to action tomorrow with game two of the weekend series against the Aggies, at 2 p.m.
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