ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. ­­– Duncan Weir scored a game-high four runs for the Lebanon Valley College Baseball team during its 15-8 game-one victory over North Carolina Wesleyan University, in the program's season-opening doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 23, at Bauer Field. The program received contributions from several players during the win, as Weir and eight other Flying Dutchmen recorded RBIs. LVC split the twin bill, dropping the second matchup by a score of 9-2. 

Game One
The Dutchmen (1-0) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead over the Battling Bishops (0-5). Weir led off the game with a double to right field and later came home to score when Logan Brewer hit a ball to second and reached on an error. Andrew Spaan started on the mound for Lebanon Valley and pitched a scoreless bottom of the first, tallying a strikeout. The program had a key defensive play during the frame for the second out, as North Carolina Wesleyan hit a double to right, and right fielder Kenny Palmieri threw the ball to second baseman Justin Ranker, who fired it home to throw out the runner at the plate. 

Lebanon Valley crossed the dish again in the top of the second, going ahead 2-0. Devin Kreger hit a ball to second base and reached on an error, allowing Ranker to score. Spaan tossed another scoreless inning with a strikeout in the bottom half, and center fielder Ryan Murphy threw out a runner at the plate for a big out. The Dutchmen scored three more times in the top of the third inning, extending their lead to 5-0. Brewer knocked in the first run of the frame with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Weir. Murphy followed this with a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Palmieri. Owen Berry capped off the inning with an RBI single to center, driving in Jace Fetterman. 

Spaan continued to blank the opposition with scoreless frames in the bottom of the third and the bottom of the fourth. The Bishops then got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth, narrowing the score to 5-4 on an RBI groundout back to the mound, an error, and a two-run home run to left field. Kyle McCracken entered the game to pitch for LVC in the bottom of the sixth and retired the side in order, striking out two batters in the process. 

The Flying Dutchmen tacked on a couple more runs in the top of the seventh inning, going up 7-4. The team scored its first run of the frame when Weir came home on a wild pitch. Fetterman followed this with an RBI single to center field, plating Palmieri. Lebanon Valley put another run on the board in the top of the eighth inning, making it an 8-4 ballgame when Kreger sent a solo homer over the left field wall. North Carolina Wesleyan then scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth, narrowing its deficit to 8-7 on an RBI single, a sacrifice fly, and an error. 

The Dutchmen posted a big seven-run inning in the top of the ninth, extending their advantage to 15-7. The scoring began with a bases-loaded walk by Ranker that brought home Brewer and a Kreger hit-by-pitch with the bases full that plated Murphy. Kameron Wetzel was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Berry, and Weir was hit by a pitch to bring in Ranker. Palmieri also had an RBI walk that allowed Kreger to cross the plate before Wetzel scored on a passed ball. Lebanon Valley tallied its last run of the inning when Brewer hit a ball to second and reached on a fielder's choice, knocking in Weir. The Bishops responded with an RBI double to center field in the bottom of the ninth, narrowing the score to 15-8 with two outs. This was followed by Malachi Duka striking out a batter looking for the third out, securing LVC's 15-8 victory. 

Inside the Box Score

• Kreger hit his first career home run, which also marked Lebanon Valley's first blast of the season. The sophomore had two RBIs, two runs scored, and a hit-by-pitch as well. 
• Weir scored a game-high and career-high four runs, which included LVC's first run of the year. The senior also had two hits with a double, an RBI, a walk, and two hit-by-pitches. 
• Palmieri registered two hits, two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk.
• Ranker logged two runs scored, an RBI, and a double. The senior also tied a game-high two walks. 
• Fetterman recorded two hits, an RBI, a run scored, and a walk. 
• Murphy and Berry both had a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Brewer recorded two RBIs while logging a run scored, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. 
• Wetzel tallied an RBI and a run scored. 
• Michael Williams was credited with the win after striking out a batter in the eighth inning, without allowing an earned run. 
• Spaan struck out three batters in 4.1 innings on the mound. 
• Duka sealed the victory with three strikeouts in the ninth inning. 
• McCracken logged a pair of strikeouts during two frames of work. 
• Murphy and Palmieri each had an assist in the outfield. 

Game Two
Lebanon Valley (1-1) got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 advantage over North Carolina Wesleyan (1-5). Fetterman hit a two-out to double to right field and later crossed the plate when Murphy hit an RBI single to left field. Nathan Clarke was the starting pitcher for the Dutchmen and began the outing with two scoreless innings. Clarke retired the side in order during the bottom of the second with two groundouts to second base and a strikeout looking. 

The Flying Dutchmen put another tally on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning, taking a 2-0 lead. The program went up by two when Murphy stole third base and came home to score on an error by the Bishops' catcher. North Carolina then tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third on an RBI triple to right field and a wild pitch. The Bishops went ahead 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI double to right, a sacrifice fly to left field, and a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Hunter Williams pitched a scoreless frame for Lebanon Valley by recording two strikeouts and notching the third out with a flyout to left field. North Carolina Wesleyan later scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning, making it a 7-2 contest on a two-run single to left. The Bishops then advanced the score to 9-2 in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single to shortstop and a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded. 

Landon Sexton entered the game in relief for the Dutchmen in the bottom of the eighth inning and with a scoreless frame. The first-year got the second out with his first career strikeout. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the end of the game.

Inside the Box Score

• Murphy recorded a hit, an RBI, and a run scored. The graduate student also registered LVC's first stolen base of the year. 
• Fetterman hit a double and scored a run. 
• Wetzel picked up a base hit and stole his first base of the season. 
• Weir drew a walk. 
• Williams recorded a career-high five strikeouts without allowing an earned run 2.2 innings on the mound.
• Clarke and Tony Bennage each struck out two batters. 
• Sexton tallied his first career strikeout. 
• Jeremy Tuz had a strikeout. 

Up Next
Lebanon Valley will return to the diamond at 11 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 23, when the club will wrap up the series against the Bishops at Bauer Field. 

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