Box Score Baseball
Lebanon Valley 12, Messiah 4

GRANTHAM, Pa. - Lebanon Valley secured an important Commonwealth Conference win, thumping Messiah 12-4 to split the season series.

The Dutchmen (16-9, 7-5 CC) got three-RBI games from both Tim Filer and Jordan Higgins, and Zach Smith scored three runs to lead the offense. Casey Wall (2-0) picked up the win and Jimmie Miller secured a four-inning save without allowing a run.

The win puts LVC in a tie for third with the Falcons (11-11, 8-5 CC), a half-game back of Widener for second.

LVC chased Messiah starter Evan Young (0-1) with five runs over the first two innings and never let off the throttle, putting up another three-run inning in the sixth as they scored in each of the last four frames.

Higgins singled in the first run of the game and Devin Dellinger added a base hit to make it 2-0. Smith started a three-run second with a bases-loaded hit by pitch before Filer and Higgins drove in two more runs to make it 5-0 and send Young out of the game.

Messiah tightened the game to 5-4 with runs in the fourth and fifth, but Miller shut down them down in relief as LVC piled on insurance runs. Dohner scored on an error to start the sixth, and Higgins' single followed by Dellinger's sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 8-4. Filer and Andrew Woolley tacked on RBI singles in the seventh and eighth, and Filer did it again in the ninth with a double to plate Smith.

LVC returns home Friday to host league-leader Alvernia to open a big Commonwealth Conference series.