Box Score

ANNVILLE, Pa. – Elizabethtown College rallied from a 5-3 deficit, scoring three runs in the top of the ninth en route to a 6-5 victory over Lebanon Valley in a Commonwealth Conference baseball game Friday afternoon at McGill Park.

The Blue Jays, who out-hit the Flying Dutchmen 14-6, earned a pair of walks to put runners on first and second with one out before taking the lead with three straight hits. Dean Whetham singled up the middle to make it 5-4 before, with runners on the corners, Bryan Torresani reached on a perfect bunt between first and second to score the tying run. Brandon Watson followed up with a single through the right side, bringing home Whetham from second with what held up as the game-winning run.

Lebanon Valley (3-9, 1-3 CC) had the tying run on first in the bottom of the ninth when freshman rightfielder Bert Malloy ripped a one-out single, but E-town reliever Matt Woehnker induced a 1-6-3 game-ending double play to pick up his second save of the year.

Dan Lauletta (3-0) retired the only two batters he faced to earn the win in relief for Elizabethtown (9-5-1, 4-0 CC). Senior Ryan Dalton (0-2) came on for the Dutchmen in the ninth and suffered the loss.

Freshman Travis Smart started on the mound for LVC and scattered 11 hits while holding the Blue Jays to three runs in 6 1/3 innings. Freshman Nick Faria fired 1 2/3 of scoreless relief for the Dutchmen.

E-town starter Scott Beard surrendered five runs (four earned) on five hits and seven walks over 7 1/3 innings.

The Dutchmen jumped to a 1-0 lead in the third inning when senior third baseman Alex Morrison reached on an error leading off, was doubled to third by junior leftfielder Dan Kelly, and scored on a wild pitch.

After the Blue Jays tied it with a single and a triple in the top of the fourth, Lebanon Valley opened up a 5-1 lead with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame, when it sent all nine batters to the plate. After freshman centerfielder Kyle Caruthers got on with a one-out walk, senior catcher Matt Rich and Morrison drove in one run apiece with a double and single, respectively. Then with two outs, sophomore second baseman Corey Lamoureux and junior designated hitter Richie Schwartz both knocked in a run with a single.

Beard settled in after the fourth, however, and retired 10 straight Dutchmen before leaving the game with one on and one out in the eight. That’s when Lauletta came in from the bullpen to get the Jays out of the inning, getting a sacrifice bunt and a ground-out.

Whetham finished 4-for-5 for E-town. Morrison scored a pair of runs for LVC while Schwartz hit safely in his seventh game in a row.

The Blue Jays and Dutchmen complete their three-game season series on Saturday with a doubleheader at E-town starting at noon.

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