FORT PIERCE, Fla. ­­– Kody Phillips recorded three RBIs for the Lebanon Valley College Baseball team, as the club dropped a 9-3 contest to Thiel College to wrap up its trip to Florida on Saturday, March 8, in Fort Pierce. Jace Fetterman also hit a pair of doubles for the Flying Dutchmen during the matchup. 

The Tomcats (1-2) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI single to center field. Starting pitcher Jaden Click then tossed a scoreless bottom of the second for the Dutchmen (4-7). The junior fielded a bunt on the mound himself for a groundout before recording a popout to shortstop and a groundout to shortstop. Thiel followed this with three runs in the bottom of the third inning, taking a 4-0 advantage on a sacrifice fly to center field and a two-run single to center. 

Lebanon Valley got on the board in the top of the fourth, narrowing the score to 4-2. The club got runners on second and third base after Fetterman hit a double to right field before Brewer singled to center and advanced to second on the throw. Phillips then drove a two-run double to right-center field, plating Fetterman and Brewer. The Tomcats scored four runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning, going ahead 8-2 on an RBI single to left, a two-run single to center, and a sacrifice fly to center. 

Jordy Polanco pitched a scoreless bottom of the fifth for the Flying Dutchmen, retiring the side in order with a groundout to third base and two flyouts to left field. Malachi Duka later entered the game to pitch for Lebanon Valley in the bottom of the sixth inning and delivered a 1-2-3 frame with a groundout to second base and two strikeouts swinging. Thiel then added a tally in the bottom of the seventh, making it a 9-2 contest on an RBI groundout to shortstop. 

The Dutchmen kept battling in the batter's box in the top of the eighth inning, advancing the score to 9-3. Spencer Butz led off the frame with a walk before moving to third on a double to right field by Fetterman. Phillips then came through with an infield RBI single to shortstop, knocking in Butz. Landon Sexton followed this by coming out of the bullpen to pitch for Lebanon Valley in the bottom half of the eighth and posting a zero. The first-year pitcher blanked the opposition by registering an unassisted groundout to first base, a flyout to left field, and a strikeout swinging. The score was ultimately maintained through the end of the game. 

Inside the Box Score

• Phillips recorded two hits with a double to extend his hitting streak to three games. The first-year also tied a season-high three RBIs. 
• Fetterman hit two doubles to tie a career-high and scored a run. The senior has registered a hit in each of LVC's 11 games this year. 
• Brewer tallied a single for his 100th career base hit in the top of the fourth inning. The senior also crossed the plate once. 
• Butz picked up his first hit with the Dutchmen on a double, while logging his first walk and run scored with the club.  
• Duncan Weir tallied a walk and a hit-by-pitch. 
• Kameron Wetzel had a base hit, extending his hitting streak to five games. 
• Ryan Murphy and Owen Berry each drew a walk. 
• Duka struck out a season-high four batters without allowing an earned run in two frames on the mound. 
• Sexton fanned a hitter in a shutout eighth inning.
• Polanco posted 1.2 scoreless innings of relief, without allowing a base hit. 
• Click struck out a batter in three frames of work. 

Up Next
The Dutchmen will return to the diamond at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, when the club will take on Elizabethtown College at Kevin Scott Boyd Stadium in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. 

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