Lebanon Valley 8, Messiah 6

LVC Lineup: 1. Edwards (2B), 2. Puglisi (CF), 3. Albright (C), 4. Fundell (1B), 5. Kiessling (3B), 6. Orlando (DH), 7. Marcelli (LF), 8. Z. Smith (SS), 9. Harned (RF), Houseal (SP)

Messiah Lineup: 1. Sollenberger (LF), 2. Janney (SS), 3. Saufley (1B), 4. Schoen (DH), 5. Wickenheiser (3B), 6. Good (RF), 7. Mellinger (2B), 8. Stewart (C), 9. Eyester (CF), Luman (SP)

How It Happened
GRANTHAM, Pa. – Down 5-4 heading into the top of the sixth, Lebanon Valley scored three runs to take the lead and never look back en route to an 8-6 win over Messiah on Friday afternoon. The Dutchmen earned a hard-fought MAC Commonwealth win and improved to 12-13, 5-5 MAC Commonwealth, while the Falcons dropped to 10-16, 4-6 MAC Commonwealth.

Down 5-4 in the top of the sixth, Colin Albright tied the game with an RBI-groundout that plated Jonathan Harned. Later in the inning, Brett Fundell provided the go-ahead RBI with a clutch double down the left field line to score Zac Edwards and put LVC ahead 6-5. Next up was Marshall Kiessling and he hit another double for the Dutchmen that scored Fundell and put LVC ahead by two at 7-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, Messiah came to within one with an RBI groundout, but Kiessling singled home Albright in the top of the eighth to make it 8-6, and the Dutchmen were able to shut the door and get the final six outs and come out on top at 8-6.

At the Plate
  - Zach Smith went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI.
 - Edwards, Albright, Fundell, and Kiessling all had two hits, while Greg Orlando also added two more hits and has been on fire ever since entering the DH role. This season, Orlando is now 20-for-36 for a .556 average.
 - Albright, Kiessling, and Z. Smith all had two RBI for LVC.
 - The Dutchmen racked up 15 hits as a team compared to Messiah's 13.

On the Mound
 - Michael Houseal kept LVC in the game and eventually heard his third victory of the season to improve his record to 3-2. He tossed five innings and gave up four earned while striking out two.
 - Jacob Williams relieved Houseal and also pitched well, throwing three innings and giving up just an earned run and striking out one.
 - In the ninth, Nathan Smith earned his third save of the year and striking out a pair.

 Who's Next?
LVC welcomes Messiah to McGill Field on Sunday for a double header beginning at 1 p.m.