Alvernia 3, Lebanon Valley 2
Alvernia 7, Lebanon Valley 5

LVC Lineup Game 1
1. Puglisi lf, 2. Edwards 2b, 3. Dohner ss, 4. Fundell 1b, 5. Orlando dh, 6. Smarkanic 3b, 7. Dietrich cf, 8. Albright c, 9. Harned rf, Wall p

Alvernia Lineup Game 1
1. Case cf, 2. Dubas lf, 3. Ricciardi ss, 4. Sawyer rf, 5. Burns dh, 6. Cameron Coons 1b, 7. Arnold c, 8. George 3b, 9. Martin 2b, Sheekey p

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

Alvernia Lineup Game 2
1. Case cf, 2. Dubas lf, 3. Ricciardi ss, 4. Sawyer rf, 5. Bertolotti c, 6. Coons 1b, 7. Cunningham 3b, 8. Francis dh, 9. Martin 2b, Nadolny p

Game 1
Lebanon Valley got another strong outing from starter Casey Wall and Zac Edwards popped the first home run of his career but it wasn't enough in the team's 3-2 game one loss to Commonwealth Conference
foe Alvernia at McGill Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Crusaders (19-8, 10-3 CC) used a pair of singles and took advantage of two errors in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead over the Flying Dutchmen (8-11, 3-6 CC). Wall limited the damage when he struck out Alvernia's Dan George to end the top half with the bases loaded.

LVC put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the second when Matthew Smarkanic and Glenn Dietrich singled back-to-back and an error by George on a Colin Albright ground ball allowed Smarkanic to plate.

A lead-off single and a sac bunt that Wall mishandled were the catalysts for the Crusaders' third run. Vinny Case's single to left field drove in Dustin Arnold for what proved to be the game-winner in the top of the fourth.

Wall and Alvernia starter Ryan Sheekey gave up next to nothing until Edwards took the second pitch of his sixth inning at-bat yard. The solo shot over the right-center field wall touched down in the visitors' bullpen and cut the deficit to a single run. Phill Dohner was hit by a pitch during the next at-bat and Brett Fundell moved him to second with a sac bunt.

A pitching change that brought Kevin Becker-Menditto in for Sheekey was the game's key move as the reliever worked out of the jam and stranded Dohner in scoring position.

The potential game-winning run reached base for the Dutchmen in the seventh when Albright and Mike Puglisi both singled through the right side but Becker-Menditto was able to get a groundout to end the game and preserve the valuable league victory for Alvernia.

Game 2
Alvernia committed three errors but Flying Dutchmen pitchers walked seven batters and the Crusaders were able to erase an early deficit en route to completing the sweep of Lebanon Valley with a 7-5 victory in the nightcap on Saturday afternoon.

LVC (8-12, 3-7 CC) appeared to be in business early when Zac Edwards' single to shortstop scored Mike Puglisi after the left fielder led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple to right-center field.  Phill Dohner followed it up with an infield single of his own, Brett Fundell moved the pair into scoring position, and Devin Dellinger's single to center drove them both in to make it 3-0 after one.

The Dutchmen's cushion didn't last long as the Crusaders used two singles and Brok Martin's two-out, second inning double to tie the game following an Ethan Francis fielder's choice that plated Alvernia's first run earlier in the stanza.

Lebanon Valley reclaimed the lead when Colin Albright's sac fly to left field proved deep enough to score Glenn Dietrich tagging from third base in the bottom of the third.

A walk, a sacrifice bunt, and two singles were what Alvernia needed to score two runs in the top of the fourth and grab the team's first advantage of game two at 5-4. The combination of three walks and a fourth Dutchmen error was enough to allow the Crusaders to score twice in the top of the fifth and up their lead to 7-4.

Dohner's lead-off single and advancement to third base on an Alvernia error got something brewing for LVC in the bottom of the fifth but a Devin Dellinger pop up to a sliding Richie Ricciardi ended with Dohner being thrown out at home trying to tag on the catch. Following Dietrich's free base on a hit by pitch and Matthew Smarkanic's single, Fundell crossed the plate when Crusader catcher James Bertolotti's throw down to first hit Smarkanic as he slid back into the bag.

Reliever Paul Smith stranded three Alvernia base runners in the top of the sixth and Dohner led off the bottom of the seventh with a single but when the sidearm slinging Becker-Menditto got two ground balls, a double play and a chopper to second base, to end the game and seal the sweep for the visitors.

On the Mound
- Casey Wall (3-2) went 6.0 innings in game one and surrendered three runs on eight hits. The reigning Commonwealth Conference Pitcher of the Week walked none and struck out five.
- Ryan Sheekey got the win in the opener, allowing just three hits and one earned run in 5.1 innings of work.
- Michael Houseal (0-2) got the start in the finale and gave up six runs on seven hits. Alvernia's Louis Marotta (6-0) earned the win, throwing 2.2 innings in relief and allowing just one run on two hits.
- Kevin Becker-Menditto earned saves in both outings, including a five-out save in the first game. The sidearm slinger allowed just three hits across the pair of contests.

At the Plate
- LVC managed just five hits in the opener but none were bigger than Zac Edwards' first-career home run in the top of the sixth inning. His was the team's only RBI of the game.
- Phill Dohner was 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in game two while Matthew Smarkanic finished 2-for-3.
- Devin Dellinger drove in two runs in the nightcap while Edwards and Colin Albright recorded an RBI apiece.
- Ben Sawyer was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Alvernia in the opener while Brok Martin finished 2-for-4 with a game-high four RBI in the finale.

Around the Diamond
- Saturday was Lebanon Valley's Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Day. The team held a silent auction and took donations with proceeds going to the Central Pennsylvania chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation while eight-year old Sam Allery was the team's honorary captain and threw out game one's ceremonial first pitch.
- LVC committed three errors in the opener compared to one by the Crusaders. In game two, Alvernia committed three errors and the Dutchmen made just one.
- The teams combined to score 17 runs by 16 different players across both games.

Stat of the Game
93 – The number of runs scored by the Dutchmen this season without an LVC player hitting a home run. Zac Edwards' solo shot in game one was Lebanon Valley's first long ball of the 2015 season.

Next Up
There's no rest for the LVC as the Dutchmen travel to Albright for another Commonwealth Conference doubleheader tomorrow afternoon.