Farmville, Va. -- The Youngstown State baseball team came up short in both games of a doubleheader against Longwood on Saturday at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
The Lancers pulled away for a 9-3 victory in game one of Saturday's twinbill before striking late to defeat the Penguins 6-3 in the nightcap. Longwood will take a 2-1 series edge into the series finale on Sunday after YSU earned a 2-1 win in opener on Friday.
 Longwood improved its record to 9-2 with Saturday's doubleheader sweep while Youngstown State dropped to 1-9.
Game 1 Recap
Longwood used a five-run seventh inning to pull away for a 9-3 victory over Youngstown State in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
The Lancers scored the first three runs of the game before the Penguins plated their first run in the top of the sixth to pull within 3-1. Longwood struck for five runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to build an eight-run edge before YSU scored twice in the ninth.
Caleb Hadley doubled and scored a run as one of seven different Penguins to record a hit in the contest. Luke Rossi and Misael Uriepero each singled and drove in a run while Nick Miscavage singled and scored once.
YSU starter Jack Messmore suffered the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings while Aidan English was responsible for one run with three strikeouts over two innings of relief. Jake Ferretti surrendered four runs on two hits and two walks in the seventh before Sumner Estes permitted one run over his 1.1 innings of work.
The Lancers struck first when Tre Keels hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to give his team a 1-0 lead. Longwood plated another single run in the bottom of the third when Max Lawson hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on Jae'den Carter's sacrifice bunt and scored on Brogan Jones' RBI single.
The Lancers pushed their advantage to 3-0 with another single tally in the bottom of the fifth. Ben Pulliam hit a leadoff double, advanced 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Lawson and crossed the plate on an RBI single from Carter.
The Penguins cut their deficit to 3-1 with a single run of their own in the top of the sixth. Hadley led off the inning with a pinch-hit double and came around to score on Brayden Kuriger's RBI groundout.
Longwood increased their lead to 8-1 with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lawson drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored from third when Jones reached on a fielder's choice. Jon Howard and Keels each recorded RBI singles during the rally while Jayson Nash walked and scored on a wild pitch. Keels was forced in for the final run of the inning when Lawson drew a bases-loaded walk in his second plate appearance of the seventh. The Lancers added their final run of the contest in the bottom of the eighth. Jack McMullan hit a one-out double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
Youngstown State pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to produce the final margin. Pinch hitter Nic Goodwin was hit by a pitch and Miscavage followed with a pinch-hit single up the middle. Goodwin moved to third on a Teddy Ruffner's pinch-hit single and scored on Rossi's RBI groundout. Miscavage scored on a sacrifice fly from Uriepero later in the inning for the game's final run.
Howard and Keels each had two hits to pace the Lancers offensively.
Longwood starter Joe Castrichini allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts over 6.1 innings to earn the victory. Jackson Garland did not allow a hit over 1.2 scoreless innings of relief before Alex Strickland allowed two runs on three hits in the ninth.
Game 2 Recap
Longwood scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and went on to defeat Youngstown State 6-3 in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
The Lancers jumped in front with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning before the Penguins answered with a three-run top half of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. Longwood tied the score with a single run in the fifth before moving ahead with three tallies in the eighth. Reliever JR Fordham retired the Guins in order in the ninth to give the Lancers the doubleheader sweep and a 2-1 series edge.
Rossi hit a two-run blast for his first home run as a Penguin while James Carlson doubled and scored a run. Ruffner singled and scored a run while Miscavage singled and drove in a run for YSU offensively.
Mikey Rodriques allowed two runs on one hit with a career-high six strikeouts over two innings in his first career start on the mound. Brevin Smith was responsible for one run on three hits with four punchouts over 2.2 innings as the first of four relievers to appear for Youngstown State. Tyler Heflin struck out four batters over 2.1 scoreless innings of relief while Griffin Almond surrendered three runs in the eighth to suffer the loss.
Mac Tufts was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the second, and he advanced to second on a wild pitch before stealing third. After Rodriques struck out Pulliam for the first out, Lawson drew a walk and stole second base to put two runners in scoring position. Rodriques proceeded to strike out McMullan for the second out, but Carter would deliver a two-out, two-run single to give Longwood an early 2-0 edge.
The Penguins countered with three runs on three hits in the top of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. Ruffner hit a leadoff single, and Rossi belted his first home run of the season two batters later to even the score. Carlson hit a two-out double and scored when Miscavage reached on an error to give YSU the one-run advantage.
The Lancers pulled even by posting a single tally in the bottom of the fifth. Carter hit a leadoff double and scored on a two-out RBI double by Nash.
Longwood regained the lead by scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth with the assistance of four walks and a hit batter. McMullan hit a leadoff single and was lifted for pinch runner Tyler Bruggeman who advanced to second on a wild pitch following a flyout. Almond issued three consecutive walks to force in Bruggeman and put the Lancers back in front. Aidan Dorsch entered in relief of Almond and hit Carson Mccoy to force in the second run of the inning before walking Tufts with the bases loaded.
Carter went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs to lead Longwood offensively while McMullan and Nash each finished with two hits.
Longwood starter Brady Hoover allowed three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts over six innings in a no decision. Wyatt Bucnh was awarded the win after pitching two scoreless innings of relief while Fordham worked a scoreless ninth to collect the save.
The Penguins will attempt to salvage the four-game series split on Sunday in the series finale. First pitch at Buddy Bolding Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.
