ANNVILLE, Pa. ­­– Hunter Williams pitched a gem while Kody Phillips drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly, leading the Lebanon Valley College Baseball team to a 1-0 victory and a series win over No. 18/No. 21 Misericordia University in game two of a doubleheader on Saturday, April 5, at McGill Field. The Flying Dutchmen also battled valiantly in the first matchup but dropped the contest 2-1. 

Game One 
The Cougars opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with an RBI single to second base and scored in the top of the second on an RBI single down the left-field line, taking a 2-0 lead. Trey Dianna started on the mound for the Dutchmen and pitched a shutout top of the third inning, notching the third out of the frame with a flyout to center fielder Spencer Butz in left-center field.

Lebanon Valley generated some traffic on the basepaths in the bottom half of the third with one out, as Kenny Palmieri singled to left field and Dylan Mennillo hit a single through the left side. Dianna then posted a zero against Misericordia in the top of the fourth, registering the third out of the frame by fielding a bunt himself for a groundout. The Dutchmen followed this by getting on the board in the bottom half of the fourth, narrowing the score to 2-1. Logan Brewer made it a one-run ballgame by crushing a solo home run over the right-field wall. 

Dianna kept working to limit the Cougars as the contest entered the top of the fifth inning, tossing a scoreless frame with a flyout to Palmieri in right field, an unassisted groundout to Brewer at first base, and a strikeout swinging. Lebanon Valley also continued to battle at the plate in the bottom of the fifth, as Mennillo hit a two-out single to right field. Dianna followed this by retiring the side in order in the top of the sixth, keeping LVC within a run by recording a groundout to Owen Berry at shortstop, a flyout to Butz in center field, and a groundout to Mennillo at second base. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Brewer kept his productive day going with a two-out single to right field. Andrew Spaan came out of the bullpen to pitch for the Flying Dutchmen in the top of the seventh inning and delivered a shutout frame with a flyout to Phillips in left-center field, a flyout to Butz in center, and a groundout to Berry at shortstop. Misericordia then proceeded to maintain its one-run advantage through the end of the seven-inning game.

Inside the Box Score

• Brewer tied a game-high two hits, including his fourth home run of the year. This marked the senior's 20^th homer of his career. Brewer also logged an RBI for a fifth consecutive game. 
• Mennillo tied a game-high and season-high two hits. 
• Palmieri picked up a single to mark his sixth straight game with a hit. 
• Berry drew a walk. 
• Dianna tallied a strikeout in six innings of work. 
• Spaan pitched a scoreless frame of relief. 

Game Two 
Misericordia had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the first inning, but Williams, LVC's starting pitcher, got the club out of the frame unscathed with a strikeout swinging and a groundout to Berry at shortstop. The Dutchmen got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, taking an early 1-0 lead. The club loaded the bases with a walk by Berry, a hit-by-pitch by Butz, and a play where Brewer reached on a fielder's choice, and no outs were recorded due to a throwing error. Phillips followed this with a sacrifice fly to center field, driving in Berry.

Williams pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the Flying Dutchmen in the top of the second, registering the third out with an excellent diving catch by third baseman Carter Enders on a bunt that was popped up. Williams also retired the Cougars in order in the top of the third inning, as Enders fielded a bunt toward third base for a groundout while Phillips caught a flyout in left field, and Butz caught a flyout in center field. Phillips then continued his productive game in the batter's box with a two-out double to left-center field in the bottom of the third.

Williams posted more zeros for Lebanon Valley in the top of the fourth and top of the fifth innings, and both frames ended with double plays where Mennillo fielded a grounder at second, tagged out a runner, and threw to first for the final out. Williams blanked Misericordia again in the top of the sixth, picking up a strikeout in the process. The Dutchmen also kept competing at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Phillips and Enders each hit a single. 

The Cougars got a runner to third base with one out in the top of the seventh inning, but Williams kept the opposition off the board with a strikeout swinging and a groundout to Berry at shortstop. Williams then finished his dominant start in the top of the eighth, holding Misericordia in check with a couple of flyouts that were caught by Phillips and a groundout to Berry at shortstop. 

Berry moved from shortstop to the mound in the top of the ninth inning and closed out Lebanon Valley's 1-0 victory with a scoreless frame. The Cougars had runners on first and third base with one out, and the Dutchmen notched the second out when Fetterman threw from behind the plate to Enders at third to catch the runner off third base. The Dutchmen then secured the win with a flyout to Palmieri in right field. 

Inside the Box Score

• Phillips tied a game-high two hits with a double while driving in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly. 
• Berry recorded a game-high two walks to mark his fourth straight contest with a walk while scoring the only run of the game. The junior also earned his first save of the year by pitching a shutout ninth inning. 
• Williams improved his record to 3-1 this season by striking out four batters in eight scoreless innings on the mound. 
• Enders picked up a base hit and a walk. 
• Fetterman, Brewer, and Joey Santora each drew a walk. 
• Butz was hit by a pitch. 

Up Next
Lebanon Valley will return to action at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, when the program will travel to take on Stockton University at Stockton Baseball Field in Galloway, New Jersey.

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