ANNVILLE, Pa. – Lindsey McCurdy hit a home run in game one and then recorded her record-breaking 17th career triple in game two to lead the Lebanon Valley softball team to a sweep of Franklin & Marshall College on Monday afternoon at the LVC Softball Park in Annville. The Dutchmen won by scores of 5-1 and 8-4.
 
Game One
Lexi Smith and Julia Craig hit singles in the bottom of the first to put runners on the corners with one out. The Dutchmen executed a double steal as Smith touched home for the first run of the game. The Diplomats were able to get out of the inning with no more damage to the scoreboard. Both teams struggled to get a hit until the bottom of the third when Sam Burns led off with an infield single to the shortstop. Smith also beat out a grounder to the shortstop for her second hit of the game. Craig knocked in Smith with a double to right center and advanced to third on a single by McCurdy. Back-to-back singles to center by Megan Heard and Maddy Gronback drove in Craig and McCurdy to give the Dutchmen a 4-0 lead.
 
The Diplomats started off the fifth inning with their first hit of the game and then advanced the runner over to third with a sacrifice bunt. The run scored on a ground ball to second to cut the lead to 4-1. LVC responded in the bottom half of the inning as McCurdy blasted the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for her first home run of the year. Jordan Walter did the rest in the circle as she shut the Diplomats down. Franklin & Marshall put runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, but Walter was able to get a double play to end the game.
 
Inside the Box

• McCurdy was one of five Dutchmen with two hits in the game. She scored twice and hit the seventh home run of her career.
• Smith got on base twice with a pair of hits and scored both times. She had a spectacular game in the field making five assists and one putout.
• Craig had two hits with a run batted in, a run scored, and two stolen bases while Burns added two hits, including a double and two stolen bases out of the leadoff spot.
• Heard knocked in a run with two hits.
• Erin Sinatra struck out four and allowed just one hit and one walk over four innings of work to earn her ninth win of the year.
• Walter earned the three-inning save in relief with one strikeout.

Game Two
The nightcap started out as a pitcher's duel as neither team was able to score over the first couple of innings. Heard ended the first inning with a great diving grab on the ball up the middle and then touched second for the force out. Danni Holmes gave the Dutchmen their first base runner of the game as she drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third. Kiersten White reached on a throwing error as she sacrificed Holmes to second before Erin Field loaded the bases with a perfectly placed bunt in front of home plate. Burns knocked in the first run of the game with a fielder's choice to the second baseman. After Burns stole second, Smith hit a single back up the middle where the Diplomat pitcher was able to grab the grounder but held the ball and did not make a throw to first as White was a few feet off third base and was prepared to go home on the throw. Two batters later McCurdy cleared the bases with her program record 17th career triple on a blast to the fence in right.
 
The Diplomats responded in the top of the fourth with four runs on five hits to tie the score up. Franklin & Marshall had four consecutive hits as two singles, a double, and a single made it 4-2 with runners on second and third after a stolen base. Erin Pattillo was able to get a line out to second for the second out but a single up the middle platted two runners. She got out of the inning with a popup to first. The scored remained the same until the sixth when the Dutchmen used another big four-run inning in their final at-bats.
 
Heard started the rally with a one-out walk. Holmes moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt and then Nicole Kratz came up with a big pinch hit single up the middle to score the go-ahead run. Erin Field walked, and the Diplomats made a call to the bullpen with the top of the order coming up. Burns drove in Kratz with a single to right before Field scored on a throwing error by the catcher as she tried to throw Field out as third as Burns stole second. Smith then beat out a bunt and Burns came around to score as the throw from the catcher went into right field for the final run of the inning. Walter shut down the Diplomats in the seventh to earn the win.
 
Inside the Box

• McCurdy knocked in three runs with her third inning triple. She broke the former career record of 16 triples hit by Sammy Bost from 2014-17.
• Smith had three hits and scored a run while making three putouts and two assists in the field.
• Burns knocked in two runs with two hits and scored twice while stealing three bases. The senior moved into fifth place on the program all-time hit list with 158 career hits.
• Kratz had a pinch hit single to plate a run and came around to score.
• Walter pitched the final three innings to earn the win and struck out five to give her 299 career strikeouts.

Up Next
The Dutchmen are scheduled to make the short trip to Elizabethtown College on Thursday for a doubleheader with the Blue Jays. Game one is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.

Stay Connected
Be sure to follow @lvcathletics on Instagram, X, and Facebook for the most in-depth coverage of LVC Athletics.