ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College softball team clinched the top seed in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Championship and hosting duties for the tournament, after winning game one of its doubleheader against Arcadia University 11-3 in six innings on Saturday, April 27 at LVC Softball Park. The Dutchmen then dropped a hard-fought 1-0 contest in eight innings to the Knights in the second matchup.
Lebanon Valley also held Senior Day on Saturday and honored its six seniors before the first game of the doubleheader. The program recognized Sam Burns, Erin Sinatra, Lindsey McCurdy, Julia Craig, Danni Holmes, and Jordan Walter.
Game One
Arcadia opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking a 3-0 lead after a frame that included an RBI double to left-center field and an RBI single through the left side. Walter pitched for the Flying Dutchmen and then posted a zero in the top of the second, registering a strikeout and a pair of groundouts. The senior pitcher maintained the score through the top of the third inning as well, throwing a scoreless frame with a groundout to shortstop, a flyout to the center fielder, and a groundout to third base.
Lebanon Valley got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, tying the game at 3-3. Erin Pattillo led off the frame with a double to left-center field before Holmes hit a ball to shortstop and reached base on a fielding error, putting runners on the corners with one out. Burns then drove a two-run triple to right-center field, scoring Pattillo and Holmes. Later in the inning, McCurdy hit a two-out RBI single to shortstop to plate Burns and even the score.
Walter followed this by pitching another scoreless inning in the top of the fourth. The senior recorded the first out with a strikeout, prompting there to be a runner on first with one out. Arcadia's left fielder then hit a line drive to Pattillo at third base, who made the catch and threw across the diamond to Craig at first for the inning-ending double play. Walter put up another shutout frame in the top of the fifth, retiring the side in order with three consecutive groundouts.
The Dutchmen then had a big seven-run bottom of the fifth inning, taking a 10-3 advantage. Burns and Lexi Smith got the frame started with back-to-back singles, before Burns advanced to third on a flyout to center and Smith stole second base. With runners on second and third base with one out, McCurdy lined a two-run triple to right-center field to drive in Burns and Smith. This was followed by Nicole Kratz bunting an RBI single back to the pitcher, plating McCurdy. Later in the fifth, the club loaded the bases and Holmes drove a three-run triple into right-center field to score Megan Heard, Pattillo, and Katie Muller. The frame was capped off with an RBI single to right-center field by Burns, bringing home Catherine Stone.
Walter then tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth, recording a foul out to third base, a groundout to third base, and a groundout that was fielded by the senior before throwing to first. Lebanon Valley tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth inning, winning the contest by a score of 11-3. Kratz and Heard started the rally by hitting one-out singles, putting runners on first and second. Later in the sixth with two outs, Muller hit an RBI single that dropped fair down the left-field line to score Erin Field and end the ballgame.
Inside the Box Score
- The victory provides the Flying Dutchmen with the top seed in the MAC Freedom Championship and prompts the club to host the tournament.
- Lebanon Valley's lineup scored a season-high 11 runs with a season-most 17 hits. The team also had three triples, marking a season-high.
- McCurdy tied a game-high and career-high three RBIs while picking up two hits with a triple. The senior also scored her 100th career run.
- Holmes tied a career-high three RBIs while hitting her first triple of the year. The senior also had a run scored.
- Burns tied a game-high and season-high three hits while hitting a triple. The senior also tied a season-high two RBIs, matched a game-high two runs scored, and stole a base.
- Smith tied a game-high and career-high three hits while stealing two bases and crossing the plate once.
- Heard also tied a game-high and career-high three hits while drawing a walk and scoring a run.
- Pattillo tied a game-high and career-high two runs scored while logging a base hit. The third baseman also tied a career-most four assists and matched a season-high three putouts.
- Muller tied a season-high two hits while driving in a run and crossing the plate once.
- Kratz recorded two hits and an RBI.
- Field and Stone also scored a run each.
- Walter improved her record to 16-4, striking out four batters in a six-inning start.
Game Two
This game was a pitchers' duel from the start, as Walter pitched for LVC again and retired the side in order in the top of the first inning. The senior posted a zero after a groundout to Kratz at third base, a strikeout swinging, and another groundout to third. Walter also pitched a scoreless frame in the top of the second with three groundouts, maintaining the score. The Flying Dutchmen picked up their first hit of game two in the bottom of the second, as Heard bunted a single to second base.
Arcadia got runners on first and second base in the top of the fourth, but Lebanon Valley kept the game scoreless with some key defensive plays. With no outs, the Knights hit a ground ball to Kratz at third, who ran to the bag for the force out. This was followed by a grounder to Heard at shortstop, who made a sliding stop and threw to Kratz at third base for another force out. The club then closed out the frame with a groundout to second base.
The Dutchmen continued to battle at the plate as the game progressed, generating traffic on the basepaths in the bottom of the fifth inning with two-out singles by Holmes and Burns. The contest remained tied at 0-0 as the programs went into the top of the seventh, when Walter pitched another shutout inning and tallied her third strikeout. In the bottom of the seventh, Pattillo lined a one-out single into left-center field and stole second for LVC. The teams were still tied at the end of seven innings, sending the ballgame into extra innings.
Arcadia got on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI fielder's choice to third base. Lebanon Valley kept competing until the final out, as Craig drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the eighth. Ultimately, this would stand as the final score.
Inside the Box Score
- Walter registered four more strikeouts during eight innings in the pitching circle.
- Pattillo recorded a single and stole a base in the bottom of the seventh.
- Holmes hit a single and drew a walk.
- Burns and Heard both logged a base hit as well.
- Craig tallied a walk.
- Kratz had a career-high six assists at third base.
- Defensively, Lebanon Valley tied a season-high 24 putouts.
Up Next
Lebanon Valley will close out the regular season at 3 p.m. on Monday, April 29, as the club will travel to take on Messiah University in a doubleheader at Starry Softball Field in Grantham, Pennsylvania. The second game against the Falcons is scheduled for 5 p.m. The MAC Freedom Championship at LVC Softball Park will begin on Thursday, May 2.
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