Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
GLENSIDE, Pa. - Lebanon Valley and Arcadia each traded final-inning comebacks as the hosts won the opener, 10-9, before LVC took the second game, 16-14, in a high-scoring Commonwealth Conference doubleheader Saturday.
The Dutchmen (18-15-1, 9-3 CC) were led at the plate by catcher
Bert Malloy, who pounded in eight runs and scored three of his own over the two games.
Grant Wiest had a five-RBI game in the nightcap, and Malloy and
Derek Helwig both drilled three-run home runs as part of an eight-run sixth inning in game two.
LVC's split dropped them back into second place in the conference standings after Elizabethtown swept Widener to go to 10-2, setting up a winner-take-all three-game series next weekend for the regular-season title.
GAME ONE
Arcadia walked with Anthony Champi's single to cap off a four-run seventh as LVC blew a late 9-6 lead after breaking a 3-3 deadlock in the top of the inning.
Both sides traded runs in the first, with Arcadia taking a 4-3 lead, and the Knights tacked on another run in the second.
LVC turned in a big fifth, however, with Malloy doubling in
Joe Soupik and Helwig.
Ryan Schwartz adding a sac fly to take a 6-5 lead. Arcadia wasted no time tying the game again thanks to Tim Smith's RBI double in the bottom of the fifth.
The Dutchmen rallied in the seventh, with
Jacob Rhody reaching on a lead-off error and scoring on
Brent Ruminski's double to take the lead before
Dustin Deibert and
Colt Zarilla strung together RBI hits to take a 9-6 lead.
Starter
Jake Becker immediately ran into trouble as he tried to close the game out, however, with the Knights leading off with back-to-back hits for Rich Schlamowitz, who flew out to score the first run of the inning. That brought in Wiest to close, but he allowed three straight hits to let Arcadia tie the game. With two men on, Champi stepped up and singled to left center to end the game.
Wiest ended up with the loss, being charged with the winning run; Becker went 6.1 innings and struck out five while allowing eight earned. Schlamowitz got the win after pitching the end of the seventh; starter Stephen Vassalotti left with a no decision after five, allowing six runs.
GAME TWO
The nightcap was just as wild as the opener, with both teams turning in eight-run innings as LVC held off another late Arcadia rally in the seventh.
Lebanon Valley ledd off with Wiest's two-run single in the first, but Arcadia erupted for eight runs in the third, knocking starter
Nick Faria out after just two and a third innings.
Down 8-2, LVC chipped away with another two-run hit by Wiest, but broke the game open for good in the sixth with eight more runs, including three-run home runs by Malloy and Mills and another RBI by Wiest.
Nate Blough capped the rally by scoring on a wild pitch.
Arcadia answered with three runs in the sixth to cut the advantage to 12-11, but LVC tacked on what would prove to be crucial insurance runs in the top of the seventh, playing four on a two-run single by Malloy and RBIs by Ruminski and Helwig.
The Knights rallied against but fell short, hitting close Pete Moro for two runs with none out before
Caleb Fick came in. Tim Wiand immediately hit into a fielder's choice to score a run but the LVC defense traded for the first out; Fick then induced Schlamowitz into a 6-4-3 double-play to end the game, picking up the save in the process.
Brian Miller got the win for LVC, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing three runs; starter Zach Spece went 5.1 innings for Arcadia and was hooked for the loss, allowing nine.
NEXT UP: LVC will host McDaniel on Wednesday. Please note that Sunday's game against Franklin & Marshall has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict.
