Box Score

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Tyler Hoffman tossed a six-hit complete game victory, yielding just one earned run as Elizabethtown handed Lebanon Valley a 4-3 loss in the Commonwealth Conference baseball opener for both teams Sunday afternoon at Boyd Stadium.

The game was originally scheduled to be played Friday, but was postponed twice due to rain.

Hoffman (2-2), who struck out two and walked two, left the potential tying run on third in the top of the ninth. Sophomore Brandon Thompson got on with a one-out infield single, moved up on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on a groundout before Hoffman induced a game-ending grounder to short.

With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Brandon Watson led off with a triple against LVC starter Matt Sanders before Adam Sheibley drove in what held up as the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly. After a single and a walk, sophomore left-hander Mike Snyder prevented further damage by getting a flyout and strikeout to end the inning.

Lebanon Valley (1-8, 0-1 CC) was playing for the first time in 16 days due to a pair of late winter storms and rain.

Sanders (0-2) worked 7 1/3 innings and was charged with the loss. The senior walked two and struck out four.

Senior Richie Schwartz led the Dutchmen at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double.

The Blue Jays (7-4, 1-0 CC) led 2-0 after a two-run, three-hit fourth. Jarred Morris drove in the game’s first run with a bases-loaded fielder’s choice, and E-town scored again two batters later following an error and a balk. But Sanders got out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout.

Lebanon Valley made it a 2-1 game in the top of the fifth, when Thompson reached on an error and scored on a double play.

E-town used small ball to manufacture a run in the bottom of the inning. No. 2 hitter Ryan White led off with a single, stole second, and moved to third on a groundout to first. Dean Whetham drove him in with another groundout.

The Dutchmen rallied to tie it up at 3-3 in the eighth. After freshman Joe Kopchick led off with a single, senior Dan Kelly reached on a fielder’s choice bunt, and the two moved up to second and third on the play due to a throwing error on the catcher. Kopchick scored on an infield single from junior Corey Lamoureux and junior John Mentzer brought home Kelly when he reached on a fielder’s choice.

The two teams conclude their three-game season series on Monday, when they meet in a doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m. back at Elizabethtown.

-lvc-