Lebanon Valley 19, Penn College 7

LVC Starters
1. Towers (2B), 2. DeClerico (SS), 3. Puglisi (CF), 4. Kiessling (LF), 5. Marcelli (1B), 6. Albright (C), 7. Leri (DH), 8. Weik (3B), 9. Herring (RF), Houseal (P)

Penn College Starters
1. Lowe (RF), 2. Hofmann (2B), 3. Vigna (1B), 4. Warren (DH), 5. Lennon (LF), 6. Kittle (C), 7. Flicker (3B), 8. Esposito (SS), 9. Scaringi (CF), Walter (P)

How It Happened
ANNVILLE, Pa. – Today's 70 degree weather not only brought a big crowd to McGill Field, but the heat woke up Lebanon Valley's bats and the Dutchmen cruised past Penn College 19-7 this afternoon LVC's 2017 opener. The Dutchmen jumped to 1-0, while the Wildcats fell to 0-1. The game was called after eight innings due to darkness.

Penn College actually got on the board first when Nathaniel Lowe scored on a wild pitch, but LVC didn't let that phase them and scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth, which began with a Colin Albright RBI-double, followed by a Michael Leri RBI-single. Then, with two runners on, Christopher DeClerico stepped up a hit a laser over the left field wall, plating three including himself, to increase the Dutchmen's lead.

In the bottom of the third after starting pitcher Michael Houseal breezed through the Wildcats, LVC plated five more runs to go up 11-1. In the inning, Leri had an RBI-walk and Chase Weik reached on a fielder's choice that scored Joshua Marcelli, followed by a sacrifice fly by Bryan Towers where Weik and Leri ended up scoring.

In the fourth inning, the Dutchmen began the rout as Leri recorded another RBI thanks to a sacrifice fly, then Weik doubled to left center to plate Colin Albright and Marcelli. The Wildcats were able to plate a few runs in the final two innings, but it was nowhere near enough and LVC held on for the comfortable win.

Inside the Numbers
 - Marshall Kiessling and Albright finished with a team-high three hits apiece. Albright added three runs scored and two RBI for the Dutchmen. And Kiessling scored two runs on the afternoon and added two stolen bases.
 - Leri ended up with five RBI to lead LVC, while his fellow freshman teammate DeClerico drive in four runs.
 - Marcelli scored a team-high four runs, while Weik scored three times and added two hits and two RBI.
 - Casey Wall tossed two innings of one-hit work, striking out three to earn the victory. Houseal threw four innings, but didn't pitch enough innings to earn the win. He gave up just a run on three hits and K-ed four.

Heading South
LVC is set to begin its Florida Spring Break trip on March 5 in Fort Pierce, Fla. when the Dutchmen will take on Drew University on a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Live stats will be available for all of LVC's games in the Sunshine State.