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Longwood and George Mason battled on the baseball field early Tuesday before the Lancers (10-11) were able to pull away thanks to a five run sixth inning. The Lancers spread 11 hits around to help take the first game from the Patriots (9-11) this season. 

Breaking down the game

George Mason struck first in the bottom of the first inning Tuesday evening, but Longwood would respond in the top half of the second thanks to a Blagen Pado RBI single.

The teams would trade a run in the fourth to keep the score tied 2-2. Corbin McCloud had the RBI base knock for Longwood.

The sixth inning is where the Lancers would explode. Matt Stevenson led the inning off with a double, and McCloud bunted him over to third. One pitch later, Casey Gibbs squeezed him home to take a 3-2 lead. From there Longwood would do all of its damage with two outs. Tanner Thomas singled to right to bring Keondre Shelton around from second, and Noah Campanelli followed that up with a single to right field to give Longwood a 5-2 lead. The Lancers took advantage of a few Patriot miscues to tack on two more in the inning for a 7-2 lead.

The Lancers did not look back.

Meanwhile, Longwood’s pitching staff combined to allow only two earned runs. It was bullpen day, and the seven pitchers limited George Mason to seven total hits.

Longwood’s offense added two insurance runs in the final three innings, but the pitching staff made sure the lead stuck regardless.

Wyatt Bunch (1-1) earned the win for Longwood as Connor Knox (0-1) took the loss. Dominick D’Ercole, Johnny Sayres and Ried Dittner, along with Bunch, tossed scoreless frames.

“I’m super proud of the way our guys bounced back from Sunday’s game today.” Coach Oxendine stated. “We have been preaching competing to our pitchers, especially the freshman, and they stepped up big today on the mound for us. I am incredibly proud of the way those guys in particular battled today.”

Coming up next

Longwood plays host to conference foe Presbyterian on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.