FARMVILLE, Va. - UMBC put 14 runs on the board, but dropped a pair in a doubleheader at Longwood this afternoon, completing its first weekend of the 2026 season.
GAME 1 - Longwood 4, UMBC 3
Longwood took a 3-0 lead in the fourth and held onto it until the top of the eighth inning when the Retrievers struck back to tie the contest.
Alex Strickland entered the game to pitch in the eighth after 7.0 scoreless frames from Joe Castrichini, and the Retrievers immediately jumped on the reliever with
Dylan Melton leading it off with a single through the right side.
Danny Orr reached on a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and second, before
Ehi Okojie laced a double down the left-field line to score Melton.
Brooks Henderson drove in Orr with a sacrifice fly to right, pushing Okojie to third and sending Longwood back to the bullpen. With JR Fordham now on the mound,
Danny Wyatt reached on an error, allowing Okojie to score and tying the game at 3-3. Wyatt moved up to second on a wild pitch, but was nabbed trying to steal third. Fordham was able to retire
Jesiah Carpenter to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Lucas Johnson doubled to walk it off for the Lancers.
Okojie's double was the lone extra-base hit of the contest for UMBC. Melton finished with three hits, and the Retrievers got multi-hit games from Carpenter and
Derek Paris.
Zach Robinson started on the mound, allowing three runs in 4.2 innings.
Brady LeJeune-DeAcutis took the unfortunate loss, despite a strong outing on the bump, tossing 4.0 innings, striking out five, and allowing just the one run.
GAME 2 - Longwood 17, UMBC 11
Game two saw the bats come to life on both sides, as the game featured 28 runs, 27 hits, and 15 pitchers used.
UMBC led briefly, taking a 6-4 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but the Lancers plated six of their own in the bottom of the frame to go ahead 10-6. UMBC would add two in the fifth, but the Lancers scored six again in the sixth to break it open.
Okojie doubled for the second time on Saturday with one out in the fourth before a Henderson bunt single put runners on first and third for Wyatt. Wyatt doubled down the line, scoring two to start the six-run outburst. Wyatt would score as Paris laid down a squeeze bunt that was botched by Johnson. Melton would bring Carpenter home on a bunt single to tie the game at 4-4 before Orr drove in two with a single to right.
After the six-run bottom of the fourth, Wyatt doubled again, this time scoring as Paris ripped a double down the line to pull UMBC back within three. The Retrievers would add another run in the inning as Carpenter raced home on a wild pitch.
The Retrievers added a run in the seventh and two in the eighth in the 17-11 loss.
Wyatt had a three-hit day with two of UMBC's five doubles on the day, while Henderson and Orr added multi-hit days. Wyatt, Orr, and Paris all drove in two runs.
Kailen Hackmann and
Owen Shaprow threw scoreless innings for the Retrievers.
Six Retrievers hit .300 or better in the opening series, led by Melton, Wyatt, and Carpenter at .333.
UMBC will travel to Georgetown on Wednesday, taking on the Hoyas at 3 p.m.
