Lebanon Valley 4, Alvernia 0

LVC Lineup
1. Bost cf, 2. Brown lf, 3. Johnson c, 4. Miller ss, 5. Valle 2b, 6. Gross rf, 7. Robinson 3b, 8. Christensen 1b, 9. Ortiz-Marrero dp, Neff p

Alvernia Lineup
1. DePriest ss, 2. Carmella dp, 3. Shilling 3b, 4. Turner c, 5. Miessau lf, 6. Psiuk cf, 7. Thomas 1b, 8. Wolfe p, 9. Malinish 2b, Carey rf

How It Happened
Haley Neff was outstanding inside the circle, allowing just two hits to lead Lebanon Valley to a 4-0 shutout victory over Alvernia in game one of a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Thursday afternoon.

For the game, the senior hurler allowed just five base runners, put together four 1-2-3 innings, and struck out two opposing batters.

The LVC offense helped out their starter from the jump as the Flying Dutchmen (10-5, 4-1 MAC Commonwealth) posted two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sammy Bost led off with a single to center field before swiping second base. Cheyanne Brown drove her in with a single through the right side and Jordyn Miller's sacrifice fly to right field brought her home two at-bats later.

Following Aly Shilling's first-inning double, Alvernia's bats went cold. The Crusaders (9-10, 2-3 MAC Commonwealth) managed just one hit over the final six frames thanks to Neff's stellar performance and an error-free effort from the defense behind her.

Emily Johnson led off the bottom of the fourth by crushing the first pitch she saw over the fence in left center field to up the Dutchmen advantage to 3-0 before Bost capped the game's scoring with a sac fly to center that scored Haley Christensen in the bottom of the fifth.

Inside the Circle
- Haley Neff got the start and the win for LVC. The senior threw her second gem in as many outings, allowing just two hits and three walks in the shutout victory. She recorded four 1-2-3 innings and a pair of strikeouts in one of her best efforts of the season.
- Starter Brittanie Wolfe took the loss for Alvernia. She allowed just six hits, walking none and adding a strikeout, but LVC's timely offense pushed runs across when the opportunities presented themselves.  

At the Plate
- The Dutchmen tallied two extra-base hits, with Emily Johnson's solo home run highlighting the scoring and Kim Ortiz-Marrero's fifth-inning double to right field moving Haley Christensen into scoring position for Sammy Bost.
- The top four batters in LVC's lineup in Bost, Cheyanne Brown, Johnson, and Jordyn Miller notched one RBI apiece.
- Aly Shilling supplied Alvernia's only extra-base hit of the game with a first-inning double. Morgan Psiuk managed the team's only other hit.

Around the Bases
- LVC stolen-base leaders Sammy Bost (15) and Cheyanne Brown (11) each added one steal to their season totals.
- The Dutchmen were clean in the field, while Alvernia committed one error in the opener.
- Outfielders Bost, Brown, and Elaine Gross grabbed two fly balls apiece. Haley Neff flashed some leather, assisting on three putouts inside the chalk.

Lebanon Valley 10, Alvernia 8

LVC Lineup
1. Bost cf, 2. Brown lf, 3. Johnson c, 4. Miller dp, 5. Valle 2b, 6. Ortiz-Marrero rf, 7. Christensen 1b, 8. Stratton ss, 9. Windsor p, Robinson 3b

Alvernia Lineup
1. DePriest ss, 2. Psiuk cf, 3. Shilling 3b, 4. Turner c, 5. Miessau lf, 6. Petry dh, 7. Thomas 1b, 8. Fisher rf, 9. Malinish 2b, Fouracre p

How It Happened
Sammy Bost set a new NCAA record and Lebanon Valley homered twice in the team's wild 10-8 victory over Alvernia in the nightcap of a conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon.

Bost's first-inning stolen base the 69th of her career. She's never been caught stealing. Thanks to her latest swipe, she set a new NCAA Division III record for consecutive stolen bases.

Her prowess on the base path helped the Flying Dutchmen (11-5, 5-1 MAC Commonwealth) take an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Emily Johnson's single plated Bost, Jordyn Miller's ensuing RBI groundout scored Cheyanne Brown, and Kelli Valle's lineout to center field was deep enough to bring home Johnson before the end of the opening frame.

Alvernia's offense got a groove going for the first time all day in the top of the third as the Crusaders (9-11, 2-4 MAC Commonwealth) managed three runs on three runs on three hits, an LVC error, a hit-by-pitch, and a wild pitch to tie the game.

Crusader starter Taylor Fouracre sat down the Dutchmen 1-2-3 in the bottom of the stanza and the Alvernia bats were back at it in the fourth. Brianna Fisher led off with a triple and Brianna DePriest's bunt was enough to drive her in, giving the visitors their first lead of the day. Morgan Psiuk's single, Aly Shilling's double, and Amanda Turner's sac fly led to two more runs before the inning was out.

Another 1-2-3 inning for LVC allowed the Crusaders to keep rolling in the fifth, as three more hits and another Dutchmen error brought one across in the top of the stanza.

Lebanon Valley had an answer, however, in the form of a two-out rally. In the bottom half, Johnson got things started with a single to center and Miller drove her in with a double during the next at-bat. Valle did the most damage with a moonshot of a two-run homerun that landed in a tree beyond the left field fence, cutting the deficit to 7-6 in the process.

The visitors used three hits to get one back in the top of the sixth, but Johnson stole the show in the bottom of the frame. After Haley Neff's single through the right side brought home Haley Christensen, Johnson launched the first pitch Fouracre threw her deep over the left centerfield fence, scoring Neff and Emily Stratton and putting LVC back out in front heading into the final inning.

DePriest reached base for the Crusaders in the seventh but Neff beared down and got Turner to pop out to Stratton in foul territory to seal her second victory of the day and the dramatic doubleheader sweep for the Dutchmen.

Inside the Circle
- Haley Neff picked up her second win of the day after relieving starter Alexa Windsor in the fourth inning. She allowed eight hits but just two runs and got outs when she needed them.
- Alexa Windsor got the start for LVC and was solid through three innings before the Alverina bats came to life in the fourth. She allowed eight hits but just three earned runs in earning the no decision.
- Taylor Fouracre got the start for Alvernia, exited in the fifth before returning in the sixth, and eventually took the loss. She surrendered 11 hits and eight runs in 5.2 innings of work.
- Brittanie Wolfe made her second appearance on the day, throwing in the fifth and sixth innings before Fouracre re-entered. She allowed two runs on two hits in 0.1 innings of work.

At the Plate
- Emily Johnson was stout, going 3-for-4 with a clutch three-run home run, four RBI, and three runs scored. She leads the squad with five homes and 28 RBI on the year.
- Sammy Bost and Cheyanne Brown also recorded multi-hit outings, as both finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.
- Kelli Valle added three big RBI thanks to her second home run of the season in the fifth inning.
- Jordyn Miller and Haley Christensen each doubled for LVC.
- All told, the teams combined for seven extra-base hits - two home runs, a triple, and four doubles.
- Aly Shilling led the way for Alvernia. She went 5-for-5 with a double, one RBI, and two runs scored.

Around the Bases
- Sammy Bost made history with her first-inning swipe of second base. With the steal, the two-time NFCA All-American set a new NCAA Division III record for consecutive stolen bases with 69.
- Cheyanne Brown added the game's only other stolen base.
- The Dutchmen earned the victory despite committing three errors. Alvernia committed none.
- Defensively, Emily Stratton led the way with four putouts and five assists.

Who's Next?
The Dutchmen host Stevenson for another MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.