Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Freshman shortstop John Mentzer scored on a wild pitch and junior third baseman Alex Morrison clubbed a two-run homer as Lebanon Valley scored three times in the top of the ninth to break a 3-3 tie and defeat host Susquehanna 6-3 in Commonwealth Conference action Friday afternoon at Bollinger Field.
The Flying Dutchmen improved to 12-8 and 4-6 in the Commonwealth Conference with the win while the Crusaders fell to 3-15 and 0-10 in conference play.
After sophomore pitcher Matt Sanders held Susquehanna to three runs on nine hits over the first seven innings, juniors Brian McFarlane and Taylor Sgrignoli came on to throw one scoreless inning apiece. McFarlane (1-0) limited the Crusaders to a single in the eighth to pick up the win and Sgrignoli hurled a perfect ninth to earn his second save of the season.
The lower portion the lineup did the bulk of the damage for LVC, as the Dutchmen’s No. 5, 6, and 7 hitters combined to go 6-for-11 with four runs scored. Morrison, Lebanon Valley’s No. 9 hitter, added a 2-for-3 effort.
The Dutchmen got things started in the second when Weaver singled, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a single by freshman designated hitter Chris Schank. Susquehanna answered in the bottom of the inning with one run on one hit and one walk.
Lebanon Valley squeezed out a run off Crusader starter Greg Dobson in the fifth on no hits to take a 2-1 lead. Schank was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, was bunted to second by freshman leftfielder Kyle Johansen, and advanced to third on a passed ball. Senior second baseman Scott Montgomery scored Schank when he reached on a fielder’s choice.
Sophomore catcher Richard Schwartz keyed the Dutchmen’s one-run sixth when he led off with a walk and stole second. With one out, Dobson was replaced with Bud Schmidt, who was greeted with an RBI-double from Mentzer to give LVC a 3-1 lead.
The Crusaders rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer by Tim Larson.
In the ninth, Mentzer and Schank led off with back-to-back singles. Johansen then laid down his second sacrifice bunt of the game to move Mentzer and Schank to second and third before Mentzer dashed home on a Schmidt wild pitch. Morrison followed up with his first home run of the season and just the second of his career.
Sanders finished with a career-high seven strikeouts while Dobson gave up three runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out three.
Schmidt (0-3) yielded three runs on four hits and no walks while fanning three.
Senior rightfielder Ron Weaver and Mentzer each went 2-for-4 for the Dutchmen while Schank was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Lebanon Valley and Susquehanna will meet on Saturday for a doubleheader at LVC’s McGill Park starting at noon.
[Photo - Junior Alex Morrison, who hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth in Lebanon Valley's 6-3 win over Susquehanna on Friday]
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