HOBOKEN, N.J. ­­– Kenny Palmieri and Joey Santora hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the eighth inning for the Lebanon Valley College Baseball team during its exciting 8-4 victory over top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology, in the series opener of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Semifinal on Friday, May 2, at Dobbelaar Baseball Field at the DeBaun Athletic Complex.

Palmieri and Santora were two of six players who drove in runs for the Flying Dutchmen, while six players crossed the plate. Jace Fetterman also provided LVC with a pair of important insurance runs in the top of the ninth with a two-run blast, which set the program record for career homers. Lebanon Valley received some strong pitching performances as well, as the bullpen combined for 3.1 shutout innings. 

The Dutchmen (21-18-1) quickly got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning, taking an early 1-0 lead over the Ducks (26-14). Owen Berry led off the game with a walk and promptly crossed the plate when Logan Brewer lined an RBI double down the left-field line. Trey Dianna started on the mound for Lebanon Valley and pitched a scoreless bottom of the first, recording a double play before getting out of the inning when Santora threw from behind the plate to third baseman Carter Enders to catch a runner attempting to steal. 

Dianna retired Stevens in order in the bottom half of the second, registering an unassisted groundout to Brewer at first base, a lineout to Palmieri in right field, and a strikeout swinging. Dianna posted a zero for the Flying Dutchmen in the bottom of the third inning, stranding a runner at second base after recording a groundout that the pitcher fielded himself, and a groundout to second baseman Dylan Mennillo for the final two outs. Dianna kept his strong start going in the bottom of the fourth, logging a 1-2-3 frame with a groundout to Mennillo at second, a flyout to Palmieri in right field, and a groundout to Berry at shortstop. 

The Ducks had runners on first and second base with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but the Dutchmen got out of the frame with an excellent double play from Mennillo at second to Berry at shortstop, who fired the ball to Brewer at first base for the final out. Lebanon Valley then crossed the plate twice in the top of the sixth, taking a 3-0 advantage. Enders got a two-out rally started with a single to left field and advanced into scoring position with a stolen base. Palmieri then hit a ball to shortstop and reached on a throwing error, allowing Enders to score. Mennillo followed this by driving an RBI single to right field, knocking in Palmieri. 

Stevens scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth, taking a 4-3 lead on a sacrifice fly to center field, a two-run home run to right field, and a solo homer to right-center field. The Dutchmen answered right back in the top of the seventh inning, tying the game at 4-4. Tyler Satterfield came up to the plate with runners on the corner with one out and hit an RBI single to third base, bringing home Berry to even the score. The Ducks then had a runner on second with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Palmieri caught a line drive in right fielder and delivered a strong throw to Enders at third base to catch the runner attempting to advance. Reliever Michael Williams followed the double play by logging the final out of the frame with a groundout to Berry at shortstop. 

Lebanon Valley broke the tie in the top of the eighth, going ahead 6-4. Palmieri put the club up by one by launching a clutch solo home run over the right-center field fence. LVC went back-to-back, as Santora then drove a solo blast over the center-field fence to provide the program with a two-run advantage. Malachi Duka entered the game to pitch for the Flying Dutchmen in the bottom of the eighth and the reliever got out of the inning with a fielder's choice, as Mennillo fielded a grounder at second base and threw it to Berry at shortstop for the force-out.

The Dutchmen tacked on a couple of insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning, extending their lead to 8-4. Satterfield got things started with a single to left field before Kameron Wetzel entered the contest as a pinch runner. Fetterman then crushed a pinch-hit two-run home run over the right-center-field fence, plating Wetzel. Berry followed this by moving from shortstop to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and securing Lebanon Valley's 8-4 victory. The junior closed out the win by striking out the first two hitters before tallying the third out on a lineout to Palmieri in right field. 

Inside the Box Score

• Lebanon Valley outhit Stevens 13-7. 
• Palmieri hit his first home run of the season while tallying a hit-by-pitch and tying a game-high two runs scored. 
• Santora recorded a career-high two hits with his first career home run.
• Fetterman hit a two-run home run for his eighth blast of the season and the 27^th of his career, setting the program's all-time homers record. This record was previously held by Shane Stossel. The home run for Fetterman also extended his hitting streak to 11. 
• Berry tied a game-high and career-high three hits while tying a game-high two runs scored. The junior also tied a season-high two strikeouts in a scoreless bottom of the ninth, without allowing a hit. 
• Satterfield tied a game-high and career-high three hits while driving in a run. 
• Brewer hit an RBI double and drew a walk. The senior also stole a base. 
• Mennillo picked up a hit and an RBI. 
• Enders logged a base hit, a stolen base, and a run scored. 
• Wetzel crossed the plate once. 
• Ryan Murphy appeared in his 159^th career game, setting the program's all-time record for games played. This record was previously held by Nico Santoro. 
• Dianna struck out a batter in 5.2 innings. 
• Williams improved his record to 3-2 on the year by tossing 1.1 scoreless frames of relief.
• Duka tallied a strikeout in a shutout bottom of the eighth.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will continue its MAC Freedom Semifinal Series with the Ducks at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 4 at Dobbelaar Baseball Field at the DeBaun Athletic Complex in Hoboken, New Jersey. If the Ducks even the series after the first matchup on Sunday, the programs will face off in a series-deciding game three later that afternoon. Lebanon Valley needs just one victory to take the series and advance to the MAC Freedom Final. 

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