Game 1 Box Score  Game 2 Box Score

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – In its final Commonwealth Conference doubleheader of the season, the Lebanon Valley College softball team split at Susquehanna University on Sunday, winning the first game 7-3 before falling 11-3 in the nightcap.

With its Game Two loss, Lebanon Valley (16-12, 7-7 CC) was eliminated from Commonwealth Conference playoff contention. The Flying Dutchmen finished tied with Messiah College for fourth, but the Falcons picked up the final playoff spot due to a tiebreaking procedure.

Senior Jenn Roberts won the first game in the circle for LVC while freshman Caitlin Keller enjoyed an outstanding day at the plate, going 7-for-8 with a pair of doubles.

With her two-run single in the first game, senior Jenn Parks broke Lebanon Valley's career RBIs record. She currently has 68 for her career, two better than the previous record of held by Sam Rill '02.

Lebanon Valley erupted for 15 hits in the first game against Susquehanna (16-12, 5-9 CC) starter Kelly McHale. After the Crusaders scored once in the bottom of the first, the Valley answered with seven unanswered runs from the second through sixth. Freshman Kristen Uhas, Parks, and junior Lauren Sanford all had two-run singles for LVC.

Roberts (9-6) worked a six-hit complete game for the Valley, striking out nine. McHale yielded seven earned runs while fanning four.

Keller went 3-for-4 in the opener while Uhas was a perfect 4-for-4.

Roberts gave LVC a 2-0 lead in the second game when she belted a two-run single in the first against McHale, who threw both ends of the twinbill. Susquehanna made it 2-1 after scoring an unearned run in the third, then broke out with 10 runs over the next two innings. Kelsey Conway's three-run homer capped a four-run, five hit fourth that made it 5-2, and the Crusaders erupted for six runs on seven hits in the fifth to bring the game to an end due to the eight-run rule.

Keller was 3-for-3 at the plate for the Valley while Laurie Blaszka went 4-for-4 for Susquehanna.

Senior Kelly O'Toole (5-4) started for the Valley and was charged with the loss while McHale (7-7) threw all five innings to earn the win for Susquehanna. She allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits.

Lebanon Valley plays its season finale on Tuesday, when it hosts York (Pa.) on Tuesday in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m.

[Photo - Junior Lauren Sanford]

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