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James Nelson, Myles Webb and Tre Keels broke out the boom sticks on Saturday, and Longwood baseball took down UNC Asheville 9-7 on Saturday afternoon at Greenwood Field.

Nelson swatted a two-run home run in the first, Webb added a two-run shot in the seventh, and Keels cranked a two-run home run in the eighth.

That was enough, coupled with a solid five-inning start from right-hander Guillermo Garcia, Jr. to get the team over the hump and take the series with a chance to earn the sweep on Sunday. It was the team’s first weekend series win this season.

Nelson, who has been lights out in the series, continued his hot streak by demolishing a two-run home run in the top of the first inning for a quick 2-0 lead. He went 3-5 at the plate and added three RBI one day after picking up four base knocks and five RBI to open the series. The home run was his third of the season.

A Keels sacrifice fly in the second gave Longwood a 3-0 lead, and Nelson pushed it to 4-0 in the fourth with an RBI single.

Garcia, meanwhile, was sharp early, and he held Asheville hitless through three innings. In the fourth, the Bulldogs got on the board on an RBI single from Patrick Gillen, but Garcia limited the damage.

Blaize Johnson hit a two-run home run for Asheville in the sixth to cut the Longwood lead to 4-3, but Webb answered in the seventh with his two-out, two-run blast to left field to push the lead back to three. It was his first homer as a Lancer.

 Trimming the lead

Asheville again trimmed the lead to 6-4 after the seventh-inning stretch, but Sam DiLella came on in relief with the bases loaded and one out and wiggled out of it. He induced an inning-ending double play, and Longwood answered in kind in the eighth.

Bentley Yeatts poked home a run with a single, and Keels bashed his two-run home run to left-center to push the lead to 9-4. It was his fourth home run of the year.

The Bulldogs rallied in the ninth to plate a trio of runs thanks to timely hits and untimely mistakes, but DiLella closed the door to preserve the win.

Garcia (3-2) picked up the win after pitching into the sixth inning for a third straight start. He gave up three runs, all earned, on six hits and three walks while striking out four. DiLella got the save after picking up the final eight outs. He gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits without a walk.

Shea Walker (0-2) took the loss after giving up two runs on four hits and a walk in the first inning. He struck out one.

Longwood baseball wins the series

 “Always huge to win a series on the road in conference,” said Longwood baseball head coach Ray Noe. “It’s not easy to do, and I’m incredibly proud of our guys.”

“The offense continues to take steps forward in the right direction,” Noe added. “We had a big swing by Nelson in the first, and then the Webb and Keels home runs there late kept extending our lead, which ended up being the difference.”

“Guillermo, yet again, gave us another quality start,” Noe said of his graduate starter. “We have so much faith in him and feel confident every time he has the ball.”

“DiLella came on in a huge situation and was able to get us out of it,” Noe added about his right-handed reliever. It completely changed the momentum back to us, and he did a great job taking it the rest of the way.”

Longwood has a chance to get its first sweep of the season on Sunday. Firt pitch is at noon from Greenwood Field, and the game will air on ESPN+.