Lebanon Valley 5, Alvernia 4
 
LVC Lineup
1. Towers (RF), 2. DeClerico (3B), 3. Leri (1B), 4. Bulgia (CF), 5. Holdredge (DH), 6. Santoro (SS), 7. Smith (2B), 8. Murphy (LF), 9. Blair (C), Ward (SP)
 
Alvernia Lineup
1. Ayala (SS), 2. Cirilli (2B), 3. Nutile (DH), 4. Newton (LF), 5. Ramundo (1B), 6. Kelly (3B), 7. Coleman (C), 8. Ginder (RF), 9. Dougar (CF), Blankenbiller (SP)
 
How It Happened
READING, Pa. – Nico Santoro's two-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh propelled Lebanon Valley's Baseball team to a 5-4 victory over Alvernia in the winner-take-all game of the 2021 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth Semifinal round. The No. 2 Flying Dutchmen (21-10) advanced to their first MAC Championship since 2002, while the No. 3 Golden Wolves ended their season with a 20-12-1 overall mark.
 
Playing as the home team in Reading this afternoon thanks to being the higher seed, LVC set the tone early on with Mike Bulgia's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first that score Bryan Towers. Alvernia later tied things up in the top of the third off Billy Dougar's solo home run to left field, which was followed by a lengthy rain delay in the middle of the fourth inning.
 
Coming out of the break, Alvernia's Mike Cirilli put his team up 2-1 in the top of the fifth with an RBI-single, followed by Nick Nutile's RBI-single through the left side. Later in the game, Kyler Newton singled home Cirilli and the Golden Wolves took a 4-1 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, TJ Holdredge came through with a clutch two-RBI double to right-center that plated Chris DeClerico and Towers, but LVC was still down by a run at 4-3.
 
Tommy Moore Jr. took the mound for the Dutchmen in the top of the sixth and struck out the side to keep LVC down by just one. In the seventh, Moore Jr. worked around a single and a walk to keep the game tied. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Michael Leri was hit by a pitch and Holdredge walked to put runners on first and second. Santoro then roped a two-RBI double to left center to score both runners and give the Dutchmen a 5-4 lead.
 
Moore Jr. ran into some more trouble in the top of the eighth, but induced a flyout to end the inning and keep LVC ahead. Hunter Tipton came on in the top of the ninth after a masterful job by Moore Jr., looking to shut the door. Tipton retired the first two Alvernia hitters via flyouts, and after Nutile's single up the middle, Tipton got Newton to ground out to Santoro to preserve the win.
 
Inside the Numbers
 - Moore Jr. earned his second win of the season after throwing three innings of relief. He allowed just a pair of hits and struck out four.
 - Tipton earned his fourth save of the season.
 - Brendan Ward got the start on the bump but did not return after the rain delay. He went four innings and allowed an earned run while striking out one.
 - DeClerico and Leri recorded two hits apiece for LVC.
 - Holdredge and Santoro each had two RBI.
 - For the Golden Wolves, Cirilli, Nutile, Ramundo, and Dougar each registered a pair of hits.
 
Who's Next?
For the first time since 2002, LVC will play in the MAC Commonwealth Championship game. The No. 2 Dutchmen will battle No. 1 York in a best-of-three series, beginning next Saturday with a doubleheader in York. The if-necessary game is set to take place on Sunday at McGill Field. Check GoDutchmen.com next week for a preview of the Championship Series.
 
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