Longwood University’s baseball program celebrated a milestone as five of its players were honored on the All-Big South Conference teams, a testament to a season that blended individual excellence with historic firsts.
Historic First-Team Duo
Jaxon Lloyd, who anchored the Lancers’ rotation as the Friday night ace, earned a place on the first-team All-Conference roster for the first time in program history alongside his teammate JR Fordham. Lloyd’s 3.39 ERA topped the league, and his 72 strikeouts in 77 innings underscored his dominance, while he limited opponents to a .242 batting average.
JR Fordham, the team’s reliable closer, also secured first-team honors after posting a 2.39 ERA over 37.2 innings, notching eight saves and two wins. His 56 strikeouts translated to an eye-catching 13.4 per nine innings, and he held batters to a .169 average, ranking second in the conference for saves.
Freshmen Ben Pulliam and Brady Hoover joined the All-Freshman Team, marking the first instance of two Longwood rookies earning the distinction in the same season. Pulliam batted .298, led the squad with 19 doubles and added 16 stolen bases, while Hoover contributed a 5.46 ERA across 14 appearances, including three wins and a shutout in partnership with Drew Siegner.
Tré Keels, the starting center fielder, received the All-Academic honor after maintaining a GPA above 3.5. At the plate he posted a .269 average with a .450 on-base percentage, stole a team-leading 32 bases and hit six home runs.
The Lancers now travel to Asheville, North Carolina, where they will meet third-seeded USC Upstate in the opening round of the Big South Tournament on May 20. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.