Box Score

ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College baseball team continued its recent hot streak, defeating Albright College 9-1 in a Commonwealth Conference game Tuesday afternoon at McGill Park.

Freshman Josh Muscalus fired a six-hit complete game for Lebanon Valley (10-14, 6-6 CC), which has now won eight of its last nine games. The Flying Dutchmen, who completed a three-game sweep of Albright (10-12, 5-7 CC), have also won their last five home games and five of their last six Commonwealth Conference contests.

Junior John Mentzer enjoyed a big day at the plate for the Valley, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and two RBIs while stretching his hitting streak to 10 games. Classmate Corey Lamoureux finished 2-for-5 with a double and two runs for the Dutchmen while freshman Grant Wiest went 2-for-4 with a two-run single. Junior Chris Schank reached base four times and scored three runs.

Lebanon Valley got on the scoreboard right away, scoring twice in the bottom of the first to make it 2-0. Lamoureux launched a double into the leftfield corner before senior Dan Kelly smacked an RBI-single up the middle. Kelly then stole second and went on to score after swiping third and moving up on an errant throw from the catcher.

The Dutchmen doubled their advantage with a two-run third. Sophomore Brandon Thompson drew a leadoff walk before Schank hit a line-shot down the leftfield line for a double that allowed Thompson to score from first. Mentzer followed up with his triple, which cleared the centerfielder’s head and chased Albright starter Dan Johnson from the game.

Mentzer added an RBI-double in the fifth to make it 5-0 before the Lions scored once in the sixth on a walk, single, and groundout. But the Dutchmen broke it open with a four-run, four-hit seventh against reliever Joe Clark. Lamoureux led off with a single, stole second, and scored on an error. Mentzer singled three batters later before Schwartz poked an RBI-double down the leftfield line. Albright then went to reliever Dan Althouse, who was tagged for a two-run single by Wiest.

Muscalus issued a leadoff walk in the eighth but cruised the rest of the way, retiring the final six batters of the game.

Needing only 103 pitches for his first collegiate complete game, Muscalus (2-2) walked three and struck out two. He stranded four runners in scoring position, including three that reached third base.

Johnson (2-3) suffered the loss for Albright, yielding five runs on six hits and three walks.

Lebanon Valley picks up its Commonwealth Conference schedule on Friday, when it visits Moravian College starting at 3 p.m.

[Photo - Junior John Mentzer]

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