Box Score

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Senior Joe Zielke (Media, Pa./Penncrest) went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs and sophomore Dennis Reilly (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) earned his third straight victory to start the season as visiting Lebanon Valley downed Elizabethtown 6-2 in a Commonwealth Conference match-up Monday afternoon at Ira R. Herr Field.

LVC (7-2, 3-0 CC) won for the fifth game in a row while E-town (8-3, 2-1 CC) saw its eight-game winning streak come to an end.

Senior Mark Shauren (Columbia, Pa./Columbia) ripped a pair of doubles and drove in two runs for the Flying Dutchmen, who out-hit the Blue Jays 11-9. Sophomore Ronald Weaver (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) added a bases-clearing triple in the top of the eighth to extend his hitting streak to eight.

E-town left 14 runners on base.

Lebanon Valley has outscored its opponents 20-3 over its last three games.

Reilly (3-0), who has already set a new single-season career high for wins, allowed seven hits and three walks in six innings of work. However, he worked out of several jams and gave up just one run.

Freshman Ryan Dalton (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) hurled the final three innings to record his first career save. Dalton struck out three and walked two while surrendering two hits and one run.

The Dutchmen scored all the runs they would need in the game with a three-run third. With two outs, sophomore Scott Montgomery (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) started a four-hit barrage with a single to left. Zielke followed with a single of his own before Schauren doubled in both runners to give LVC the lead for good. Senior Tim Rink (Ivyland, Pa./Council Rock) drove home Schauren with a single to complete the big inning.

Elizabethtown scored once in the bottom of the third to cut the gap to 3-1. Reilly prevented further damage in the fourth when he forced the Blue Jays No. 2 hitter into an inning-ending fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

LVC added three more runs in the eighth to give the Dutchmen a comfortable 6-1 advantage. Zielke led off with a single, chasing E-town's starting pitcher from the game. Rink walked two batters later. After a flyout junior Jeff Grieger (Riegelsville, Pa./Wilson) also reached with a base on balls to load the bases for Weaver, who delivered the clutch three-bagger.

E-town rallied with one run in the bottom of the ninth. The Blue Jays threatened with runners on first and second with two outs, but Dalton put out the fire but striking out the Blue Jays No. 7 batter to end the game.

Lebanon Valley takes on Susquehanna University on Tuesday in the Dutchmen's home opener. Opening pitch is set for 3 p.m. at McGill Park.

[Photo - Senior Joe Zielke, who went 3-for-5 with two runs in LVC's 6-2 win at E-town on Monday]

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