VMI drops midweek game to Longwood, 5-2

The Longwood Lancers scored three times in the first inning and two pitchers combined on a two-hitter as Longwood defeated the VMI Keydets, 5-2, in NCAA baseball action Wednesday night in Lexington, Va.

Longwood (4-4) took the lead for good on the second batter of the game, when C.J. Roth doubled home Sammy Miller. The visiting Lancers would tally twice more off VMI starter Micah Gorman, and that would be all pitchers Cody Wager and Steven Farkas would need, as they allowed just a David Geary single and a solo home run by Matt Pita.

Gorman dropped to 0-2 by taking the loss for VMI (5-5), as he surrendered five runs on five hits in four innings. The Keydet bullpen – Josh Worthley, Blaine Lafin and Jack Gomersall – allowed just two hits over the rest of the game. Wager moved to 2-0 by allowing two runs on two hits and four walks in six innings, and Farkas earned his first career save by pitching three hitless innings to close out the contest.

After the Lancers took the early 3-0 lead, VMI got on the board in the bottom of the second. With one out, Pita launched a solo home run to straight away center field. The freshman’s second long ball of the year cut the margin to 3-1.

Longwood got that run right back in the third on a RBI single by Connar Bastaich with two outs, and added another tally in the fifth to close out its scoring.

VMI mounted a rally in what would be Wager’s final inning, the sixth. Will Malbon led off with a walk and one out later, Geary singled. A balk moved up both runners and Collin Fleischer drove in a run with a groundout. That was all the Keydets could manage, however, as Peyton Maddox popped up to end the threat.

The Keydets tried another rally in the eighth against Farkas, as Malbon was hit by a pitch with one out. He was initially not allowed to advance to first base, but his arm was checked by the home plate umpire and he was awarded the HBP.

Nathan Eaton then grounded to third baseman Brandon Harvell, who threw the ball wide to second. Malbon was called out on interference, however, ending the strange inning. He would prove to be the final VMI baserunner as the Keydets went in order in the ninth.

VMI baseball will return to action Friday, when the Keydets open a series with Binghamton at Gray-Minor Stadium. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.