Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score
CHESTER, Pa. – Freshmen Krystal Devecchio and Kristen Uhas each had a seventh-inning, game-winning RBI as the Lebanon Valley College softball team swept host Widener University in a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
In the first game, Devecchio drove in the game’s only run with a seventh-inning single, backing a five-hit shutout from senior Jenn Roberts as Lebanon Valley earned a 1-0 win. Then in the nightcap, Uhas chased home two runs with a two-out double as Lebanon Valley (13-7, 4-2 CC) held on for a 5-4 victory.
Senior Amy Batz led the Valley with a 5-for-6 day at the plate while Roberts won both ends of the twinbill. She threw the final three innings in relief to come away with a victory in Game Two.
The first game shaped up to be a pitching dual between Roberts and Widener starter Mallory Meyer, who was perfect through the first three innings. Devecchio singled leading off the fourth, and a Batz walk put runners on second and third with one out, but Meyer got out of it with a groundout and pop-out.
Widener threatened in the first, when Meyer led off with a single and advanced to third. But Roberts got an inning-ending strikeout.
The Pride failed to reach second again until the fifth, when Widener put runners on second and third with one two outs before Roberts escaped again, this time with a groundout.
Widener’s best chance to score came in the sixth, however, when No. 3 hitter Caitlin Callahan led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch with no outs. But Roberts dug in to retire the side.
Myer carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh, when junior Jessica Salisbury ripped a one-out single. Lebanon Valley was down to its last out after freshman pinch-hitter Natalie Lipinsky and senior Audrey Benner worked back-to-back walks to load the bases before Devecchio’s big hit scored Salisbury.
Widener appeared to have something going in the seventh, when No. 8 hitter Erin Kane singled, but she was thrown out at second by rightfielder Katie DeJulio. Roberts then induced a game-ending pop-out.
Roberts finished with nine strikeouts and two walks. Meyer (10-6) limited the Valley to four hits while walking five and striking out four.
Devecchio finished 2-for-4 in Game One.
The second game featured significantly more offense, with the two teams combining for 18 hits. Widener jumped to a 1-0 lead against LVC starter Kelly O’Toole in the first before the Dutchmen rallied with a two-run second on an RBI-double from freshman Janey Kozlowski and a run-scoring single from junior Lauren Sanford against Widener starter Kim Dougherty.
Lebanon Valley extended its advantage to 3-1 in the fourth, when Sanford smacked her second RBI-single of the game.
Widener cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth on Stephanie Caulford’s 10th home run of the season. Roberts came on to blank the Pride in the fifth, extending her scoreless inning streak to 21, but Widener finally reached her in the sixth, when a two-run homer from Krista Cesarine gave the home team a 4-3 lead heading into the top of the seventh.
Batz sparked LVC’s rally with a one-out double. After Roberts was intentionally walked with two outs, Uhas followed up with her two-run double.
Roberts (7-3) retired the Pride in order in the seventh. She gave up two runs on two hits while striking out two over three innings pitched. O’Toole allowed two runs on five hits and no walks. She struck out one.
Dougherty (6-5) yielded 11 hits and two walks while fanning four.
Batz was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate in Game Two while Sanford finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Roberts scored a pair of runs.
Lebanon Valley picks up its Commonwealth Conference schedule on Tuesday, when it hosts conference front-runner Moravian College at 3 p.m.
[Photo - Junior Lauren Sanford]
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