Lebanon Valley 14, Susquehanna 13

LVC Lineup
1. Edwards 2b, 2. Dohner cf, 3. Z. Smith ss, 4. Fundell 1b, 5. Smarkanic 3b, 6. Dellinger dh, 7. Harned rf, 8. Albright c, 9. Puglisi lf, SP Houseal

Susquehanna Lineup
1. M. Cassinelli cf, 2. Kinneally 2b, 3. J. Cassinelli rf, 4. Leone dh, 5. Semmel lf, 6. Palsi 3b, 7. Shields c, 8. Ryan 1b, 9. Giaimo ss, SP Vizcaino

How It Happened
Michael Puglisi's ninth-inning RBI single gave Lebanon Valley its second walk-off victory in six games as the Flying Dutchmen took down Susquehanna, the defending Landmark Conference champion, 14-13 on Wednesday afternoon in Fort Pierce, Fla.  

The weather back home was cold and icy but the LVC bats stayed hot in the Sunshine State as the Dutchmen racked up 20 hits and their third double-digit run total of the season against the Crusaders (2-3).

Lebanon Valley erased a 2-0 deficit in the second inning when Puglisi and Zac Edwards poked singles that drove in Jonathan Harned and Colin Albright. Puglisi added another RBI single in the third and Albright did the same. Edwards reached on a fielder's choice, plating Albright to make it 5-2 LVC after three.

Susquehanna pulled ahead by one thanks to a double and a pair of singles in the fourth but Brett Fundell and Devin Dellinger laced RBI doubles of their own in the bottom half of the stanza. When Edwards was hit by a pitch and Phill Dohner launched a sac fly to center field later in the inning, the Dutchmen had reclaimed a 10-6 advantage.

Another Albright RBI single and Puglisi's sac fly to right field gave the Dutchmen some breathing room at 12-7 after five but four-straight Crusader runs made it 12-12 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Edwards' second fielder's choice of the day plated Albright for a third time and swung the lead back to LVC but once again Susquehanna had an answer as a solo shot evened things up at 13-13 with Lebanon Valley coming to the plate for the final time.

Matthew Smarkanic got things going with a double and a Jonathan Harned single two batters later loaded the bases for Puglisi with two outs. The sophomore, hitting in the nine spot, came through with a game-ending single that gave the Dutchmen the victory over a 30-win, NCAA Regional qualifier from a year ago.

On the Mound
- Pitching was at a premium in a game that saw a combined 27 runs scored on 37 total hits.
- LVC starter Michael Houseal went 3.1 innings, scattering eight hits and allowing six runs. He struck out four Crusaders.
- Thomas Mattaini was solid in relief. He allowed four hits and one run in 2.2 innings of work in addition to striking out three batters.
- Lee Webber benefited from Puglisi's walk-off and earned his first win of the year.
- The six Dutchmen pitchers to take the mound Wednesday combined to record 11 strikeouts.

At the Plate
- This was Michael Puglisi's day. Not only did he drive in the game-winning run, he went 4-for-4 from the dish with a game-high four RBI and one walk.
- Colin Albright was 4-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored.
- Jonathan Harned went 3-for-4 with two walks and three runs scored.
- Matthew Smarkanic was 3-for-6 on the afternoon with a double and three runs scored. Devin Dellinger was the fourth Dutchman to score three runs.

Around the Diamond
- All but two of the game's 27 total runs scored were earned.
- Colin Albright, Jonathan Harned, Matthew Smarkanic, and Devin Dellinger combined to score 12 of Lebanon Valley's 14 runs.
- The game was nearly completely clean, defensively. Susquehanna committed the game's lone error.

Stat of the Game
14 – LVC's single-game season-high run total to date, scored in today's win. Against a talented Crusader team, The Dutchmen needed every one of them.

Next Up
Lebanon Valley finishes off its Florida spring break trip with a doubleheader against Wilkes. Game one gets underway at 11 a.m.