FORT PIERCE, Fla. ­­– The Lebanon Valley College Baseball team trailed Heidelberg University 8-2 entering the bottom of the fourth inning and put together a thrilling comeback for an 11-9 victory in its second matchup of the day on Wednesday, March 5, in Fort Pierce. Kameron Wetzel, Jace Fetterman, and Kody Phillips were among the key contributors to the win, hitting a home run each. Earlier in the day, the Flying Dutchmen delivered a valiant effort while dropping a 10-7 game to Elizabethtown College.  

Game One vs. Elizabethtown
Trey Dianna started on the mound for the Dutchmen (2-6) and pitched a scoreless bottom of the first inning, striking out the first batter before picking off a runner at first base, and recording a flyout to center field. Dianna also kept the Blue Jays (4-2) off the board in the bottom of the second, picking up another strikeout in the process. 

Lebanon Valley then opened the scoring in the top of the third inning, taking a 3-0 lead over Elizabethtown. The club loaded the bases with no outs after Dylan Mennillo led off the frame with a single to third base, Wetzel singled to center field, and Christian Vanelli reached on a bunt single. Fetterman followed this by hitting a big bases-clearing double to left-center field, driving in Mennillo, Wetzel, and Vanelli. Dianna also posted another zero for the Flying Dutchmen in the bottom of the third, retiring the side in order with a strikeout swinging, a groundout to shortstop, and a strikeout looking.

The Blue Jays put a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, trimming their deficit to 3-1 on an RBI double to left field. Elizabethtown then scored three times in the bottom of the fifth, going ahead 4-3 on an RBI single up the middle, an error, and a fielder's choice. The Dutchmen answered back with three in the top of the sixth, taking a 6-4 advantage. The program loaded the bases after Owen Berry walked, Ryan Murphy was hit by a pitch, and Joey Santora drew a walk. Mennillo followed this with an RBI single to left-center field, knocking in Berry to tie the game. Wetzel then put the team in front with a bases-loaded walk, bringing home Murphy. Santora later crossed the plate on a wild pitch to give LVC a two-run lead. 

The Blue Jays countered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking a 7-6 lead on a two-run triple to center field and a passed ball. The Dutchmen responded again in the top of the seventh, tying the game at 7-7. The squad evened the score on a sacrifice fly that the shortstop caught, plating Berry. Elizabethtown then scored three in the bottom of the seventh to go up 10-7 on a solo home run to left field, an RBI single to right-center field, and a fielder's choice. Landon Sexton entered the game to pitch for Lebanon Valley in the bottom of the eighth and logged a shutout inning, registering three flyouts to center field. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the end of the contest. 

Inside the Box Score

• Fetterman had a game-high and season-high three hits while tying a career-most two doubles. The senior also tallied a season-high three RBIs and drew a walk. 
• Mennillo recorded a season-high two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Wetzel logged a base hit, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Berry hit a double, walked once, and tied a game-high and season-high two runs scored. The junior also stole a base during the contest. 
• Murphy registered a hit-by-pitch, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Santora tied a career-high two walks, hit a double for his first career hit, and scored a run. 
• Vanelli picked up a hit and crossed the plate once. 
• Dianna struck out four batters in five innings on the mound. 
• Hunter Williams and Blair Shaffer each struck out a batter in their relief appearances.
• Sexton pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. 

Game Two vs. Heidelberg 
Andrew Spaan was Lebanon Valley's starting pitcher in game two and kept Heidelberg scoreless in the top of the first with a foul out to third base and a pair of strikeouts. The Dutchmen (3-6) then struck first in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead over the Student Princes (2-5). The club got things started when Wetzel led off the frame by sending a solo homer over the left-center field wall. 

Heidelberg followed this by taking a 2-1 advantage in the top of the second with a two-run double to left-center field. The Student Princes then scored twice in the top of the third inning, going ahead 4-1 on an RBI unassisted groundout to first base before an RBI groundout to third base. Lebanon Valley responded in the bottom half of the third with a solo home run to right-center field by Fetterman, narrowing the score to 4-2. Heidelberg also scored four in the top of the fourth inning, making it an 8-2 game with a frame that included an RBI unassisted groundout to first base, two RBI singles to left field, and an RBI double to left-center field. 

The Flying Dutchmen answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, trimming their deficit to 8-5. Tyler Marley scored the club's first run of the inning by crossing the plate on a wild pitch. Parker Tarnoci then hit a single down the right-field line, driving in Berry. Wetzel followed this with a sacrifice fly to left field, knocking in Tarnoci. 

Hayden Fravel entered the contest to pitch for Lebanon Valley in the top of the fifth inning, and he began his outing by retiring the side in order with a strikeout swinging, a flyout to center, and a groundout to shortstop. The southpaw also put up a zero for the Dutchmen in the top of the sixth, recording three more strikeouts. The Student Princes later added a tally in the top of the seventh inning, advancing the score to 9-5 on an RBI double to left-center field.

The Dutchmen battled in the batter's box in the bottom of the seventh, as the club posted a big four-run inning to tie the game at 9-9. Phillips led off the frame by hitting a solo home run to center field. The program then loaded the bases with one out, as Berry walked, Murphy singled to right field, and Logan Brewer hit a single to left field. Vanelli followed this by walking with the bases full, plating Berry. Wetzel was Lebanon Valley's next batter and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Murphy to score. Later in the frame, Fetterman recorded an RBI walk to bring in Brewer. 

Malachi Duka came out of the bullpen to pitch for the Flying Dutchmen in the top of the eighth inning and blanked the Student Princes, registering three groundouts. Lebanon Valley then broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth, taking an 11-9 lead. The squad loaded the bases after Berry hit a single back to the pitcher and stole second, Murphy walked, and Brewer singled to center field. Devin Kreger put LVC ahead with a sacrifice fly to center field, driving in Berry. Wetzel followed this with an RBI single to third base, plating Murphy. Duka proceeded to secure Lebanon Valley's comeback victory in the top of the ninth inning, closing out the ballgame with a strikeout looking, a popout to second base, and a strikeout swinging. 

Inside the Box Score

• Lebanon Valley's lineup recorded a season-high 14 hits. 
• Wetzel tied a game-high and set a career-high with three base hits, including his first career home run and his first career triple. The sophomore also recorded a game-high and career-high four RBIs. Wetzel was hit by a pitch as well. 
• Phillips picked up the first three hits of his career, tying the most in the game. The first-year tallied his first hit, RBI, and run scored with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. 
• Fetterman launched his second homer of the campaign and had two RBIs. The senior also drew his 90^thcareer walk, tying the program record that was originally set by Ryan Schwartz. 
• Berry logged a hit, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch while scoring three runs. The junior's three runs scored marked a career-high and were the game-high. 
• Tarnoci registered a hit, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Vanelli walked and tallied his first career RBI. 
• Kreger drove in a run. 
• Murphy had a base hit, a walk, a hit-by-pitch and two runs scored. 
• Brewer recorded two hits while crossing the plate once. 
• Marley scored a run during the win. 
• Spaan struck out a season-high six batters in his start. 
• Fravel tied a career-high four strikeouts in two scoreless innings on the mound. 
• Michael Williams fanned two batters during an inning of work. 
• Duka earned his first victory of the year by striking out two hitters in a pair of scoreless frames. 

Up Next
Lebanon Valley will return to action at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 7, when the club will take on Kenyon College in Fort Pierce, Florida. 

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