ANNVILLE, Pa. ­­– The Lebanon Valley College Softball team posted a balanced effort in its doubleheader sweep of Alvernia University, delivering an offensive clinic and strong pitching during 10-2 and 9-1 run-rule victories in five innings on Tuesday, March 25, at the LVC Softball Park. Emily Mitchell helped lead LVC in the first game with five RBIs, while Erin Pattillo knocked in three runs in the second matchup. 

Game One 
Holly Grube started in the pitching circle for the Dutchmen (9-8, 3-1 MAC Freedom) and began the game with a zero in the top of the first inning, recording a groundout to shortstop, a groundout to third base, and a groundout to second base to strand a runner at third. Lebanon Valley opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a big six-run frame, taking an early 6-0 lead over the Golden Wolves (11-10, 0-4 MAC Commonwealth). Megan Heard led off the game with a single and promptly scored on an RBI double to center field by Grube. Maddy Gronback then hit an RBI double to right field, plating Grube. Later in the inning, Mitchell came through with a three-run double to left-center field, driving in Julia Craig, Gronback, and Nicole Kratz. LVC capped off the important frame with an RBI single to right field by Pattillo, bringing home Mitchell. 

Alvernia countered with a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the second inning, narrowing the score to 6-1. The Flying Dutchmen got this run back in the bottom of the second, taking a 7-1 advantage on a leadoff solo home run to right field by Grube. Back in the pitching circle, Grube retired the side in order in the top of the third with a flyout to Lauren Foster in right-center field, a lineout to Kratz at third, and a groundout to Mitchell at second. The first-year also delivered a scoreless top of the fourth inning for LVC, logging two groundouts to third base and a groundout to second base. 

Lebanon Valley tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, extending its lead to 10-1. Mitchell continued her big game in the batter's box, hitting a two-run single to right-center field to score Gronback and Kratz. Later in the inning, Abby McElroy hit a sacrifice fly to right, knocking in Nikki Sellers. The Golden Wolves then crossed the plate in the top of the fifth inning, making it a 10-2 contest on an RBI fielder's choice to shortstop. Grube proceeded to record the third out of the frame with a groundout to Kratz at third base, securing LVC's 10-2 run-rule victory. 

Inside the Box Score

• Lebanon Valley scored a season-high 10 runs and had a season-high 10 RBIs. The Dutchmen also outhit the Golden Wolves 12-5. 
• Grube tied game-highs and season-highs with three hits and two RBIs while tying a game-high and setting a season-high with two runs scored. The first-year hit her first career home run and a double during the win. Grube also earned her fourth win of the year in the pitching circle, allowing just one earned run in five innings. 
• Mitchell tied a game-high and set a career-high with three hits, including a double while registering a game-high and career-high five RBIs. The sophomore also crossed the plate once. 
• Gronback tallied two hits to extend her hitting streak to six while driving in a run and tying a game-high and career-high two runs scored. 
• Pattillo recorded a base hit and an RBI while stealing a base for the fourth consecutive game. 
• Kratz logged a hit to extend her hitting streak to three and tied a career-high two runs scored. 
• Heard picked up a base hit to extend her hitting streak to six and scored a run for the third straight game. 
• McElroy recorded an RBI. 
• Sellers walked and scored a run. 
• Craig scored a run. 
• Katie Muller had a hit to extend her hitting streak to three. 

Game Two 
Abby Reed was Lebanon Valley's (10-8, 3-1 MAC Freedom) starting pitcher and delivered a shutout top of the first inning against Alvernia (11-11, 0-4 MAC Commonwealth), logging a strikeout looking and two flyouts to Mackenzie Willey in center field. The Dutchmen struck first in the bottom of the first, taking an early 1-0 lead. Heard led off the frame with a single to third base and later came home to score on Kratz's RBI double down the right-field line. Reed followed this by retiring the side in order in the top of the second, registering a strikeout swinging, a foul out to Kratz at third base, and a lineout to third. 

Lebanon Valley's lineup added two more runs in the bottom of the second, extending their advantage to 3-0. Muller and McElroy got things started by hitting a single each to begin the inning. Pattillo later hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Muller. Grube then hit a ball to second base and reached on a fielding error, allowing McElroy to cross the plate. Reed proceeded to blank the opposition in the top of the third inning, notching the third out of the frame with a flyout to left-center field that was caught by Pattillo. 

The Flying Dutchmen continued their offensive clinic in the bottom of the third, making it a 6-0 ballgame. The club got runners on second and third base with one out on a double to right field by Bella Mackison and a single down the left-field line by Muller. McElroy followed this by reaching on an RBI fielder's choice to second base, knocking in Mackison. Pattillo then hit a two-out, two-run double to left field, plating McElroy and Willey. The Golden Wolves responded with a run in the top of the fourth inning, narrowing their deficit to 6-1 on an RBI single to left-center field. 

Lebanon Valley tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, going ahead 9-1. Grube and Craig began the frame with singles up the middle, putting runners on first and third. Kratz followed this with an RBI double to left-center field, scoring Grube. Mackison then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Craig. The inning was capped off with an RBI single to right field by Muller, driving Kratz. In the top of the fifth inning, Reed sealed the 9-1 run-rule win for the Dutchmen with a 1-2-3 inning. LVC recorded the final out of the game with a flyout to Willey in left-center field. 

Inside the Box Score

• The Flying Dutchmen outhit the Golden Wolves 13-5, including five doubles. 
• Heard extended her hitting streak to seven games with two hits, including the 100^th base hit of her career. The junior is the 26^th player in program history to tally 100 hits. Heard also scored a run for the fourth straight game and stole a base. 
• Pattillo hit a double and posted a game-high three RBIs, tying for the most in her career. 
• Kratz hit a career-high two doubles to extend her hitting streak to four while tying a season-high two RBIs and scoring a run. 
• Muller had a game-high and career-high three hits, extending her hitting streak to four games. The sophomore also recorded an RBI and a run scored. 
• McElroy registered a base hit, an RBI, and a game-high and season-high two runs scored. The first-year has driven in a run in each of her last three games. 
• Mackison hit a double while tallying an RBI and a run scored. 
• Grube had a base hit to extend her hitting streak to four while scoring a run. 
• Willey hit a double and scored a run. 
• Craig picked up a hit and crossed the plate once. 
• Reed earned her third victory of the season, striking out two batters while allowing just one run in five innings. 

Up Next
The Dutchmen will return to action at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, as the program will travel to take on No. 17 Gettysburg College at Bobby Jones Field in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 

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