Four-Run Fourth Dooms Flames

The Longwood Lancers erased a two-run Liberty lead with a four-run fourth inning, en route to a 7-3 victory over the Flames, Thursday evening at Lancer Stadium.

Liberty falls to 19-7 on the year, while Longwood moves to 16-9.

Longwood jumped onto the scoreboard in the first inning, cashing in a leadoff double. Shortstop Scott Kimble opened the frame with a two-base hit into the left-center field gap. After moving to third base on sacrifice bunt by second baseman Brant Jones, Kimble scored for a 1-0 Lancer lead on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Phil Cerreto.

Liberty countered in the top of the second inning with two runs. Third baseman Tyler Bream (Fr., Zelienople, Pa.) opened the frame with an infield single and advanced to third base on a double by catcher Errol Hollinger (Sr., Upland, Calif.), two batters later. Bream then scored on a fielder's choice ground ball to third base, beating the Lancers' Cerreto's throw home to tie the game at 1-1. First baseman Trey Wimmer (Fr., Greenwood, S.C.) followed by dropping a single into center field, plating Hollinger for a 2-1 Flames advantage.

In the third inning, Liberty added to its lead with an unearned run. Center fielder Curran Redal (Jr., Moses Lake, Wash.) reached on a throwing error on a grounder to Cerreto to open the frame. Right fielder Doug Bream (Jr., Elizabethtown, Pa.) followed with a single, moving the Flames center fielder to second base. After advancing to third base on a double play, Redal made it, 3-1 Liberty, scoring on a wild pitch.

Longwood took its second advantage of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. The host Lancers opened the frame with three straight hits to load the bases, and plated the first run of the inning when right fielder Ian Harvey was hit by a pitch. Kimbel followed with a bases-clearing double to put Longwood back on top, 5-3.

The Lancers upped their edge with a run in the fifth. First baseman Casey Havers led off the inning with a double to the right-center field gap and scored on a double by the next batter, catcher Jonathan Quigley, for a 6-3 Longwood lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Havers hit his second home run of the season over the right field fence for the final score of 7-3.

Tyler Light (Sr., RHP, San Bernardino, Calif.), the third Liberty pitcher in the contest, takes the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year. The right-hander gave up four runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings. He struck out three batters.

Longwood reliever Mark Montgomery picks up the win to run his record to 4-1 on the year. Montgomery did not allow a run over 3 1/3 innings of relief. The right-hander yielded two hits, striking out five batters and walking one.

Doug Bream had two hits for Liberty. Four Longwood hitters had two hits each.

The Flames remain on the road for a Big South Conference series, which begins tomorrow. Liberty travels to Lexington, Va., to square off against the VMI Keydets. Game time for the three-game series opener at Gray-Minor Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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Team Stats

Doug Bream

Matt Williams

Curran Redal

Tyler Bream