Box Score

Stevenson 14, Lebanon Valley 7 (Box) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E SU 0 1 0 5 0 0 8 0 0 14 16 1 LVC 1 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 7 10 2 W: Franke (1-1) | L: Barthold (2-1)

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ANNVILLE, Pa. – Stevenson used an eight-run seventh to put away the Valley on Tuesday afternoon at McGill Field, 14-7.

Home runs from senior Corey Cinicola and junior Devin Dellinger in the fourth and fifth innings brought the Dutchmen back from an early deficit. However, eight runs in the seventh, including a pair of three-run shots over the wall opened up an insurmountable lead for the Mustangs.

Despite the loss, the Dutchmen (15-7, 6-3 CC) did manage a series victory over the Mustangs as they took two in Owings Mills yesterday. LVC ends the day in second place in the Commonwealth Conference, a game behind Alvernia. Stevenson improved to 8-9 overall and 3-6 in conference action.

Stevenson's Brandon Franke picked up his first win of the year in his first start, giving up seven runs over 5.1 innings. LVC's Austin Hornberger departed after giving up five runs in 5.2 innings and junior Jason Barthold was saddled with the loss, his first of the year, after being responsible for six runs in an inning of work.

Senior Jordan Higgins doubled in the game's opening run as junior Phil Dohner crossed the plate for the early 1-0 edge. The Mustangs manufactured runs with a score on a catcher's interference in the second and five runs in the fourth to take a 6-1 advantage.

A single from senior Mike Specht to open the bottom half of the fourth turned into a double on a fielding error and plated Higgins to begin the comeback rally. A three-run shot from Cinicola in the fourth and a two-run launch in the fifth from Dellinger took back the game for LVC, taking over the lead at 7-6.

A wild seventh would be the Valley's undoing. Three Dutchmen pitchers were needed as Barthold, junior Lee Webber, and classmate Patrick Reagan did their best to slow down a hot Mustang lineup. Stevenson's Scott Merkel teed off on a three-run shot early in the inning and Kevin Wu singled in two more runs midway through to extend the lead to four at 11-7. The Mustangs weren't done as Troy Miller sent one over the wall to plate three more before Reagan finished Stevenson off with the score at 14-7, where it remained through the final out.

Specht led the offense, going 3-for-4 on the day and scoring a run, while Cinicola went 2-for-3 with a run, three RBI, and a walk. Zach Smith's 15-game hitting streak was snapped, but a walk extended his on-base streak to a team-high 16 games. Stevenson's Miller and Merkel were tough outs as Miller went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI, and Merkel went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI.

The Valley returns to McGill Field on Saturday for CFF Day against Messiah at 12 p.m.