ANNVILLE, Pa. ­­– The Lebanon Valley College Softball team received contributions from several players during its doubleheader sweep of Delaware Valley University, as six members of the lineup drove in runs in each game of the twin bill on Saturday, March 29, at the LVC Softball Park. The Flying Dutchmen delivered two dominant victories, posting an 11-1 run-rule win in five innings during game one before defeating the Aggies 9-2 in the second matchup. Maddy Gronback was a key contributor for LVC with her first career homer and four RBIs, while Emily Mitchell had six hits and two RBIs.  

Game One 
Holly Grube was the starting pitcher for the Dutchmen (11-10, 4-1 MAC Freedom) in the first matchup and began the afternoon with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, fielding a ground herself before a groundout to Nicole Kratz at third base and a lineout to Mitchell at second base. Grube also retired the Aggies (12-6, 0-3 MAC Freedom) in order in the top of the second, recording three consecutive groundouts to Kratz at third base. 

The Flying Dutchmen opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, taking an early 2-0 lead. Katie Muller started a two-out rally with a single through the right side before coming home to score on Erin Pattillo's RBI double to left-center field. Megan Heard followed this with an RBI single up the middle, driving in Pattillo. Grube continued her strong outing in the top of the third, posting another zero against Delaware Valley and notching the third out by catching a popout.

Lebanon Valley added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning, taking a 4-0 advantage. Grube led off the frame with a single through the right side and moved into scoring position by stealing second base. Gronback then drove a two-run home run over the right-center field fence. Back in the pitching circle, Grube held the opposition in check in the top of the fourth. The first-year tallied the final two outs of the inning with a double play, as Julia Craig caught a popout at first base and threw to Heard at shortstop before the runner could get back to the base. 

The Dutchmen then delivered a big seven-run bottom of the fourth inning, going up 11-0. Mitchell came to the plate with runners on first and second base and reached on a bunt single before a throwing error by the catcher allowed Pattillo to score. Grube followed this with an RBI single through the right side, knocking in Heard. After a pitching change, Gronback hit an RBI groundout to second base to bring home Mitchell. Kratz then drove an RBI double down the left-field line, plating pinch runner Maddie Russell. Nikki Sellers kept things rolling with an RBI single up the middle to drive in Kratz. LVC capped off the scoring when Pattillo hit a ball to shortstop and reached on a fielding error, allowing Craig and Sellers to come home. Delaware Valley countered with a two-out RBI single up the middle in the top of the fifth inning, making it an 11-1 contest. Grube then secured Lebanon Valley's run-rule victory when Heard made an impressive diving catch at shortstop for the final out, leaving the bases loaded. 

Inside the Box Score

• Lebanon Valley scored a season-high 11 runs while outhitting Delaware Valley 14-3. 
• Gronback hit her first career home run and had a game-high three RBIs to tie a career-high, marking the second straight game she has knocked in three runs. The junior also extended her hitting streak to nine games. 
• Grube had a game-high three hits to tie a season-high and extended her hitting streak to seven games. The first-year also recorded an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base. In the pitching circle, Grube earned her fifth win of the season by striking out a batter and allowing just one run in five innings. 
• Kratz hit a game-high two doubles to match a career-high while driving in a run and scoring a run. 
• Pattillo tied a season-high two hits with a double while registering an RBI and scoring a game-high two runs to match a career-high. The senior also posted her team-leading ninth stolen base of the year. 
• Heard recorded a base hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Sellers registered a hit, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Mitchell tallied two base hits and crossed the plate once. The sophomore also had her first career stolen base. 
• Craig logged a base hit and scored a run. 
• Muller picked up a hit while crossing the plate once. 
• Russell scored a run. 
• Maura Savoca drew her first career walk. 

Game Two 
Delaware Valley (12-7, 0-4 MAC Freedom) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a sacrifice fly to center field and an RBI single to left-center field. Lebanon Valley (12-10, 5-1 MAC Freedom) answered right back with four runs in the bottom half of the first, claiming a 4-2 advantage. The club put runners on the corner with no outs after Heard walked and stole second base before Mitchell hit a single to center field. Gronback got the program on the board by lining an RBI single down the right-field line, plating Heard. Craig then evened the score with an RBI groundout to second base, bringing home Mitchell. Bella Mackison gave the club the lead with a sacrifice fly down the right-field line, knocking in Gronback. Muller capped off the big inning by hitting an RBI single up the middle, scoring Kratz. 

Starting pitcher Abby Reed tossed a scoreless top of the second for the Dutchmen, registering two strikeouts swinging before Kratz caught a pop-up in foul territory on the third-base side. LVC's lineup continued to produce in the bottom of the second, crossing the plate two more times to make it a 6-2 game. Heard got into scoring position with a double to left-center field before coming home to score on Mitchell's RBI single to right-center field. Later in the inning, Craig hit an RBI unassisted groundout to first base to plate Mitchell. Reed followed this by posting a zero in the top of the third inning, notching the final out of the frame on a fielder's choice to third base. 

Lebanon Valley added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning, extending its lead to 8-2. The club got runners on second and third base with a single to left field by Muller before Mackenzie Willey hit a double to center field. After a pitching change, Pattillo hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Muller. Mitchell then came through with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Willey. In the top of the fourth inning, Reed kept the Aggies scoreless with a strikeout swinging, a popout that she caught, and a flyout to Muller in right field. 

The Flying Dutchmen tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth inning, going ahead 9-2. Craig hit a one-out single to center field before Mackison hit an RBI double to right-center field to bring in pinch-runner Lauren Foster. Reed kept working to limit the opposition as the contest went into the top of the fifth, logging a shutout frame for LVC and recording the third out with a popout to Heard at shortstop. In the top of the sixth inning, Reed maintained the program's seven-run lead with a strikeout swinging, a flyout to Pattillo in left field, and a flyout to Muller in right field. Reed then secured Lebanon Valley's 9-2 victory in the top of the seventh inning, notching the final out of the day with a strikeout looking. 

Inside the Box Score

• The Dutchmen outhit the Aggies 13-11. 
• Mitchell had a game-high and career-high four hits while tying a game-high two RBIs and setting a career-high with two runs scored. 
• Gronback tied a career-high three hits to extend her hitting streak to 10 while driving in a run for the third straight game and crossing the plate for the second game in a row. 
• Mackison hit a double and tied a game-high and season-high two RBIs.
• Craig had a base hit and tied a game-high two RBIs. 
• Heard hit a double to extend her hitting streak to three while recording a walk and tying a game-high and career-high two runs scored. The junior also stole a base. 
• Muller picked up two hits while knocking in a run and scoring a run. 
• Kratz tied a game-high and career-high two walks and scored a run. 
• Willey hit a double and crossed the plate once. 
• Pattillo had an RBI
• Foster scored a run. 
• Erin Field was hit by a pitch. 
• Reed earned her fourth win of the year in the pitching circle, striking out a season-high seven batters in a complete-game effort. 

Up Next
Lebanon Valley will be back in action on Wednesday, April 2, when the club will travel to take on Franklin & Marshall College for a doubleheader at Baker Campus Fields. The first matchup is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. 

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