It was merely the season opener. But Andrew Long was in mid-season form.

 It may have just been a sign of things to come.

 On Wednesday after school at Annville-Cleona High School, Andrew Long pitched the Little Dutchmen baseball team to a 10-0 season-opening victory over Lancaster Mennonite. Long earned the pitching win by striking out ten Blazer batters, while issuing two free passes.

 The junior righthander worked the first four innings of Annville-Cleona’s season, before giving way to reliever Josh Speraw in the fifth inning. Long and Speraw combined to shut out Lancaster Mennonite on four hits.

 In support of Long, the Little Dutchmen scored in four of their six at-bats, including the first and third innings when they plated a total of six runs to stake Annville-Cleona to a 6-0 lead.

 Not only will he contribute to the Little Dutchmen on the mound this spring, Long will also do it defensively in the outfield, as well as the plate. He will be counted on heavily, as Annville-Cleona makes pushes for a Lancaster-Lebanon Section Four championship, a berth in the league playoffs and a spot in the District Three postseason.

 – Jeff Falk