Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score
ANNVILLE, Pa. – Sophomores Jenn Roberts and Kelly O'Toole each threw a complete-game victory as the Lebanon Valley College softball team swept Lycoming in non-conference action Saturday afternoon at the LVC Softball Park.
Roberts whirled a five-hit shutout in the opener for Lebanon Valley (5-1). O'Toole held Lycoming (1-4) scoreless over the first six innings of Game Two before the Warriors scored in the top of the seventh for their only run of the twinbill.
Lycoming left 16 runners on base over the two games.
Roberts struck out a season-high nine in the first game to log her first shutout of the season and improve to 3-0. Her counterpart, junior Morgan Mantle (1-1), was just as impressive, as she spun a three-hit complete game and struck out eight over six innings.
Senior Gina Battistelli provided all the offense LVC would need in the opener when she belted a towering home run that sailed over the leftfield foul pole in the bottom of the fifth.
Lycoming stranded seven runners, including five that were in scoring position.
Roberts had at least one strikeout in every inning but the sixth, while Mantle recorded a K in every frame but the seventh.
Junior Jana Reitz went 2-for-3 for Lycoming in the opener.
Sophomores Amy Batz and Audrey Benner each saw a hitting streak come to an end after the first game. Batz went 0-for-2 as her streak ended at 14 games, while Benner's 0-for-3 day brought her nine-game streak to a halt.
The second game was also scoreless through the first four and a half innings, but a pair of Lycoming errors opened the door for LVC in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and one out, Batz hit a come-backer to the pitcher, who threw the ball away at the plate to allow junior Mandi Nace to score from third. Benner was tagged out between third and home on the play, putting runners on second and third. On the next play, Lycoming's catcher's attempted to pick off junior Lisa DiCristofaro at third, but an errant throw got past the third baseman, allowing DiCristofaro to score.
Lebanon Valley added an insurance run in the sixth, when Battistelli drilled an RBI-double into the left-center gap to score O'Toole from second.
In the top of the seventh, sophomore Melissa McCoy lined a two-out double over the centerfielder's head to give Lycoming its first run over its last three games. O'Toole escaped when she induced a lineout to first to end the game.
O'Toole (1-0), who was making her first start of the season, scattered 10 hits as Lycoming left nine runners on base, including eight that were in scoring position. She struck out three and walked one while the Warriors had a batter reach base in every inning.
Junior Kristen Reese (0-2) also threw a complete game for Lycoming. She yielded only one earned run on seven hits and four walks while striking out three.
Benner led LVC at the plate, going 2-for-4. Junior Chris Caroselli, McCoy, and sophomore Betsy Reese had two hits apiece for Lycoming, with McCoy slapping a pair of doubles.
Lebanon Valley returns to action on Tuesday, when it visits Franklin & Marshall for a non-conference doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m.
[Photo - Senior Gina Battistelli, who hit a solo home run in Lebanon Valley's Game One 1-0 win over Lycoming on Saturday]
-lvc-
