CLERMONT, Fla. – Erin Sinatra continued her great start to the season with a complete game gem in the circle as the Lebanon Valley softball team defeated Westminster College 8-1 before dropping a 7-0 decision to undefeated Allegheny College on Tuesday morning in Clermont Florida.
 
Game One vs. Westminster (Pa.)
The Titans (1-4) scored first in the top of the first inning with a leadoff walk and then a two-out triple to center. The Dutchmen (5-0) struck right back in the bottom half as Sam Burns led off with a single to right and stole second. She was moved over to third on a Lexi Smith groundout to short and scored on a wild pitch. Westminster put together a rally in the second and had runners on second and third with two outs before Sinatra got a fly ball to right to get out with no damage.
 
The Dutchmen took the lead in the third inning as Maddy Gronback led off the inning racing around to third base on a throwing error. Burns drove her home with a sacrifice fly to center. LVC added a run in the fourth as Lindsey McCurdy tripled to right and then scored on a Megan Heard bunt down the first base line that the pitcher fielded and threw to first. Julia Craig hit a two-out single to left in the fifth and then Erin Field came in to pinch run. Nicole Kratz hit in Field with a double to right center giving LVC a 4-1 advantage.
 
The Dutchmen blew the game wide open with a four-run sixth. McCurdy led off the inning with a walk. Heard singled through the left side and then both the runners moved up a base with steals. Erin Pattillo knocked in McCurdy as the throw home was late. Gronback knocked in Heard and Pattillo on a single to left that was booted by the fielder allowing Gronback to get to second. Two batters later Smith knocked in the final run of the game with a ground out to short.
 
Inside the Box

• Sinatra struck out four and allowed just one run on eight hits for her third complete game win of the year. Sinatra only allowed one runner past second base after the second inning and that runner was thrown out at third base on a two-out double in the seventh.
• Sinatra lowered her season ERA to 0.37 in 19 innings of work.
• Craig had two hit to lead eight Dutchmen who had a hit in the game.
• Six different Dutchmen had a run batted in and there were seven different run scorers.
• McCurdy had a triple, a walk, and scored twice.
• Kratz hit a double and knocked in a run.
• LVC stole six bases as Pattillo swiped two bags.

Game Two vs. Allegheny
The Dutchmen (5-1) were held to two hits in the nightcap as the Gators (5-0) were able to score three unearned runs in a 7-0 victory. Smith drew a one-out walk in the top of the first and Craig singled to center. The Dutchmen executed a double steal to put runners at second and third but were unable to drive a run home. Allegheny scored a run in each of the first three innings taking advantage on an error in the first and third. A throwing error, a sacrifice bunt, and a single to left center put runners on the corners with one out in the first. The run scored on a grounder to second as LVC was not able to turn the double play that would have ended the inning.
 
The Gators scored in the second on two singles and a fielder's choice to second base where the Dutchmen were unable to get an out. Jordan Walter struck out two hitters to get out of the inning with no more runs on the board. LVC put runners on first and second in the third as Smith singled and Kratz walked. The Gators were able to get a pop fly to left to get out of the inning. In the bottom half, Allegheny scored on a leadoff double, an error, and then a ground ball to second where LVC was unable to get a double play to get out of the inning.
 
The Dutchmen had another opportunity to score in the fourth as McCurdy led off with a walk. She stole second and moved over to third with two outs. Once again, the Gators were able to get the third out of the inning with a run coming across the plate. Allegheny added three runs in the fifth on four singles and a walk to take a 6-0 lead. The final run came in the sixth on a single and two errors.
 
Inside the Box

• Smith and Craig had a hit in the game for the Dutchmen.
• LVC stole four more bases led by Smith with two.
• The Dutchmen were able to get runners on base drawing five walks in the game.
• Walter struck out six in five innings of work.
• Pattillo struck out two batters in her inning of relief.

Up Next
LVC will be off the next two days before returning to action on Friday with a pair of games against Penn State Behrend and Muskingum University. The Dutchmen will take on the Lions at 9 a.m. at Hancock Park Field 2 before facing the Muskies at 1:30 p.m. on Field 1.

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