Lebanon Valley 4, Lycoming 3

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

Lyco Lineup
1. Schoenstadt cf, 2. Novak 2b, 3. Shady p, 4. Weaver p, 5. Kunes 1b, 6. Thomas rf, 7. Burger 3b, 8. Crabb c, 9. Poorman lf

How It Happened
Lebanon Valley erased a two-run deficit and held on for a 4-3 victory over Lycoming in the opening contest of a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

After Lyco (12-16, 1-10 MAC Commonwealth) scored a pair of runs in the top of the third inning, the Flying Dutchmen (15-10, 6-5 MAC Commonwealth) responded with the game-tying tallies in the bottom of the frame when Emily Johnson, the team's RBI leader, drove in Sammy Bost and Kim Ortiz-Marrero with a line-shot single to center field.

Cheyanne Brown put LVC out in front for the first time when she tripled to left field to plate Bost in the fifth inning before Johnson picked up her third RBI of the contest with a single to left that brought Brown across, giving the Dutchmen a 4-2 lead after four stanzas.

The Warriors cut the deficit to one in the top of the sixth when back-to-back LVC errors allowed a runner to score an unearned run but Haley Neff worked out of the jam by retiring the next three batters, including an inning-ending strikeout of Lyco's Kelcie Crabb.

Inside the Circle
- Haley Neff earned her seventh win of the spring with a complete-game, six-strikeout effort. She allowed just five hits and one walk in the game one victory.
- Rachael Shady was solid for Lycoming in defeat, surrendering four runs on eight hits, a wild pitch, and a hit batter. She walked none and struck out three.

At the Plate
- Emily Johnson did what she does best by driving in a game-high three runs and finishing 2-for-3 from the dish.
- Sammy Bost went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to get things rolling for the LVC offense from the lead-off spot.
- Cheyanne Brown's RBI triple was the team's lone extra-base hit of the game.
- Elisa Novak and Kristi Weaver each went 2-for-3 for Lyco, with Weaver's double accounting for the team's only extra-base hit.

Around the Diamond
- Sammy Bost and Kim Ortiz-Marrero stole two bases apiece for Lebanon Valley.
- Heather Secord swiped the only bag of the game for the Warriors.
- The Dutchmen committed three errors, while Lyco committed one.
- Haley Neff assisted on four putouts from inside the circle and Liz Bauer assisted on three more at second base.

Lebanon Valley 12, Lycoming 1 (Five Innings)

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

Lyco Lineup
1. Schoenstadt cf, 2. Novak ss, 3. Shady dp, 4. Weaver p, 5. Secord 2b, 6. Kunes 3b, 7. Thomas rf, 8. Crabb c, 9. Fischer 1b, Poorman lf

How It Happened
Lebanon Valley used a huge fourth inning to complete the doubleheader sweep of Lycoming with a 12-1 five-inning victory in the nightcap on Saturday afternoon.

Twelve batters came to the plate for the Flying Dutchmen (16-10, 7-5 MAC Commonwealth) in the fourth and LVC used five hits and a back-to-back Lyco errors to score eight runs and turn a four-run game into a rout. The first five hitters in the team's lineup singled, Liz Bauer walked, Alissa Robinson plated a run with an RBI groundout, Holly Langdon was hit by a pitch, and Haley Christensen's fielder's choice allowed another run to score before Sammy Bost and Cheyanne Brown reached base for the second time during the frame.

The Warriors' lone run of the contest came with the game well in hand for Lebanon Valley. Haley Neff turned in her second strong outing of the day and held Lyco (12-17, 1-11 MAC Commonwealth) to just four hits in game two.

Bost scored the game's first run on a throwing error following Brown's bunt single in the first inning and Jordyn Miller drove in Brown and Emily Johnson with a double to right center field to make it 3-0 LVC after one stanza.

In the third inning, Elaine Gross hammered the first pitch she saw over the fence in left center field to give the Dutchmen an insurance run before the team exploded for a crooked number to put things out of reach in the next frame.

Inside the Circle
- Haley Neff picked up her second win of the day and eighth of the season with a stellar performance in the nightcap. She allowed no earned runs on just four hits and walked none, throwing just 62 pitches to earn the victory.
- Kristi Weaver took the loss for Lycoming. In three innings of work, she allowed four earned runs on six hits and three walks.
- Rachael Shady came on in relief of Weaver but didn't fare any better, allowing five earned runs on five hits and a walk in her one inning pitched.

At the Plate
- Sammy Bost was one Warrior error shy of finishing perfect at the dish, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
- Jordyn Miller was 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and a game-high three RBI.
- Elaine Gross went 2-for-2 with a home run and two runs scored. Her homer was her second of the season.
- Cheyanne Brown was the fourth Dutchman to record two hits. She added two runs in the win.
- Morgan Kunes was the only Lyco player to have two hits, while Sam Fischer drove in the team's only run.

Around the Diamond
- The Dutchmen stole three bases in game two, one each by Sammy Bost, Cheyanne Brown, and Emily Johnson.
- The Warriors struggled defensively and committed five errors.
- Cheyanne Brown snagged four fly balls in left field for LVC, while Emily Stratton assisted on three putouts at shortstop.

Senior Day
Prior to Saturday's doubleheader, seniors Kelli Valle, Kim Ortiz-Marrero, Liz Bauer, Haley Neff, Holly Langdon, and Emily Johnson were honored during LVC's Senior Day ceremony. The class of 2016 will go down as one of the most successful groups in program history. The six players have been major contributors to the recent tradition of LVC's softball program. Over the past four seasons, the Dutchmen won 106 games, including two 30-win seasons. Thanks to their efforts, Lebanon Valley has won three straight MAC Commonwealth championships and made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, winning seven NCAA regional games.

Thank You, Coach Hollinger
In between games one and two, LVC assistant coaches Ralph Carfagno and Scot Adams, the Dutchmen players, and returning alumni and their families paid tribute to head coach Stacey Hollinger in this, her final season as the team's skipper. Carfagno's heartfelt speech congratulated Hollinger on her recent promotion to associate director of athletics and reflected on her contributions to the softball program and her impact on Lebanon Valley College as a whole. Hollinger, the program's all-time winningest coach, took the microphone and thanked the nearly 200 fans in attendance and delivered a poignant reflection on her 18 years as head coach and the relationships she forged during that incredibly successful stint to a rousing round of applause.

Who's Next?
The Dutchmen are back on the field tomorrow afternoon at DeSales. Game one of the non-conference doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.