Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score
ANNVILLE, Pa. – Ashley Young threw both ends of a doubleheader, getting the win in both games as Albright College swept Lebanon Valley in Commonwealth Conference action Tuesday afternoon at the LVC Softball Park.
Young threw a four-hit shutout to lead Albright (10-16, 8-0 CC) to a 3-0 victory in the opener, then worked all eight innings of the nightcap as the Lions rallied to win 3-2.
Junior pitcher Jenn Roberts, who was charged with the loss in Game Two, finished the doubleheader 3-for-6 with a pair of RBIs and a home run for Lebanon Valley (20-8, 6-4 CC).
In the first game, senior starter Alisa Albers successfully worked out of jams in the early going for LVC, stranding four runners while shutting out Albright over the first three innings. The Lions finally got to Albers in the fourth, when No. 6 hitter Erica Romond doubled to left and scored two batters later when Hillary Gary laced a single through the left side that glanced of the glove of lunging shortstop Katie DeJulio.
Albright completed its scoring in the fourth, when leadoff hitter Stevie Crouse singled two batters before Young helped herself with a two-run homer to left, her second round-tripper of the year. After a single, junior Kelly O’Toole came on to get the final two outs of the inning. She went on to throw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless and hitless ball.
Lebanon Valley also had several scoring opportunities early in the opener, but Young left four runners on base from the first through the third. LVC had three runners in scoring position over the first three innings, but Young allowed only one runner to reach second the rest of the game.
Young (7-5) finished with four strikeouts and two walks in Game One while Albers (6-1), who suffered her first loss of the season, had no strikeouts or walks.
The second game shaped up as a pitcher’s dual between Young and Roberts. Matching Young in the opener, Roberts belted her third homer of the season, a solo shot to center, with one out in the second to give LVC a 1-0 lead. But that would turn out to be the Valley’s last run until the eighth, as Young worked out of jams in every inning from the fourth through the seventh, leaving five runners on base during that span.
Roberts, on the other hand, cruised through most of her outing early on and retired 14 of 15 batters at one point from the first through the fifth. After leaving two runners on in the sixth, Albright broke through in the seventh, as No. 9 hitter Jen Lynch punched a two-out single to center to make it 1-1. Roberts escaped further damage by inducing a bases-loaded fly-out to end the inning.
Lebanon Valley had the go-ahead run on second in the bottom of the seventh when DeJulio doubled to left-center, but Young forced extra innings but getting an inning-ending strikeout.
The Lions completed their comeback with a two-run, four-hit eighth. After Young led off with a single, No. 5 hitter Meredith Mayes ripped a two-run homer off the scoreboard for her fourth long ball of the season.
LVC did not go quietly in the bottom of the inning, however, as senior Lisa DiCristofaro led off with a walk and scored from first on a two-out double to right-center from Roberts. But Young came through again with another strikeout to earn her second win of the day.
Young finished with five strikeouts and three walks while scattering six hits. Roberts (7-3), who lost for the first time in her last five starts, struck out five and walked two.
Lebanon Valley takes a break from its Commonwealth Conference schedule when it visits Wilkes University at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.
[Photo - Junior Jenn Roberts]
-lvc-
