Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Junior Ron Weaver (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) hit a pair of home runs in the opener, and freshman Matthew Sanders (Lebanon, Pa./Annville-Cleona) threw a five-inning, two-hit shutout in the rain-shortened nightcap as Lebanon Valley swept host Susquehanna, 15-5 and 2-0, in a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader Monday afternoon.
With the wins, Lebanon Valley (8-12, 5-5 CC) completed a three-game sweep over the Crusaders (6-16, 2-10 CC). The Flying Dutchmen also defeated Susquehanna 8-0 in Annville on Thursday.
The Dutchmen have now won five straight Commonwealth games after losing their first five.
In the first game, Susquehanna led 3-0 after two innings before LVC stormed back with 15 unanswered runs from the third through the sixth innings. The Dutchmen pushed across one run in the third before Weaver tied the game in the fourth with his first home run of the game.
Lebanon Valley broke the game open with a seven-run fifth. Senior Jeff Grieger (Rieglesville, Pa./Wilson) laced a two-run triple to put the Dutchmen ahead for good and junior Craig Denlinger (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) drove home another run with a sacrifice fly, making it 6-3. Freshman Richard Schwartz (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) capped the inning with a grand slam, which was also his first collegiate home run.
The Dutchmen padded their lead with five insurance runs in the sixth. Senior Casey Long (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) pounded a two-run double and Weaver clouted a three-run homer, his third of the season.
On the mound, junior Robert Nordall (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) fired a complete game to earn the victory, his first of the season. Nordall (1-1) allowed eight hits and four walks while striking out three.
Weaver finished 2-for-3 with three runs and five RBIs for the Valley while Schwartz was 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Sophomore Jon Kelly (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) collected three hits and two runs while Long was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Sophomore Alex Morrison (Landisburg, Pa./West Perry) added a pair of hits for the Dutchmen.
In the nightcap, Sanders (3-1) was sharp in the early going, retiring 10 batters in a row from the first through the fourth innings. He ran into trouble in the fifth, as the Crusaders loaded the bases with no outs. But he struck out two batters and induced a groundout to escape unscathed, and the game would later be called due to rain.
Sanders walked two and struck out four while picking up his first collegiate complete game and shutout.
The Dutchmen provided Sanders with all the run support he would need when they scored a run in the third. Freshman Dan Kelly (King of Prussia, Pa./Upper Merion) reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and scored on single by Grieger.
LVC added an insurance run in the fourth, as Schwartz roped a sacrifice fly.
Denlinger was 2-for-3 in Game Two. Grieger hit safely in both games to extend his hitting streak to 10, the longest of the season for a Lebanon Valley player.
Lebanon Valley returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts Kutztown University in a non-conference game starting at 3:30 p.m.
[Photo - Junior Ron Weaver, who had two home runs and five RBIs in Lebanon Valley's 15-5 win over Susquehanna on Monday]
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