ABERDEEN, Md. ­­– Kody Phillips hit a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the seventh inning, helping propel the Lebanon Valley College baseball team to a 6-4 victory over McDaniel College in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 27 at The Ripken Experience. Owen Berry also delivered a stellar relief appearance on the mound in the club's first win of the season. LVC battled valiantly in the second contest as well, while dropping an 8-4 decision.

Game One
The Green Terror (0-3) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 4-0 lead after an RBI single, an RBI double, an RBI fielder's choice, and a wild pitch. Berry switched from designated hitter to pitcher for the Dutchmen (1-1) in the bottom of the second, and the senior posted a zero during his first frame on the mound. Berry blanked the opposition with an inning that included two groundouts to third baseman Daniel Palmieri and a flyout to Phillips in left field. Berry also came through with a shutout inning for LVC in the bottom of the third, striking out a batter in the process.

Lebanon Valley put together a rally in the top of the fourth inning, narrowing its deficit to 4-3. Lucien Burger led off the frame with a single through the right side and stole second base, before Phillips walked, and Devin Kreger was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kenny Palmieri then drew a walk with the bases full, plating Burger. This was followed by Joey Santora knocking in Phillips with an RBI groundout to third base. Daniel Palmieri also logged an RBI groundout to second base, scoring Kreger. Berry recorded another scoreless inning for the Flying Dutchmen in the bottom of the fourth, notching the third out with a fielder's choice where John Teehan fielded a ball hit to shortstop and threw it to second baseman Dylan Mennillo for the force out.

Berry continued his strong outing for LVC in the bottom of the fifth inning, tallying the third out of the frame with a lineout to Phillips in left field. The Dutchmen kept battling at the plate in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 4-4. Kreger led off with a single to shortstop, and pinch runner Jacob Williams advanced to third base after a pair of groundouts. Daniel Palmieri then bunted an RBI single to third base, allowing Williams to score the tying run. Berry followed this by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the sixth, registering the second out with a strikeout swinging. 

Lebanon Valley completed its comeback in the top of the seventh inning, taking a 6-4 lead. Berry got things started with a single to third base, before moving into scoring position on a groundout. Phillips then delivered a clutch RBI double to left field with two outs, driving in Berry to put the club ahead. Tyler Satterfield also hit an RBI single to left-center field, plating Phillips. In the bottom of the seventh, Berry closed out LVC's first victory of the year with a shutout inning. The program notched the final out of the win with a flyout to Kenny Palmieri in right field.

Inside the Box Score

• Berry earned his first career win on the mound, striking out two batters in six scoreless innings. The senior also had a base hit and scored the go-ahead run. 
• Phillips hit the go-ahead RBI double, while tying a career-high and setting a game-high with two runs scored. The sophomore also drew a walk. 
• Daniel Palmieri registered his first career hit and the first two RBIs of his career. The first-year also had a game-high in RBIs.  
• Satterfield logged a hit and an RBI.
• Santora drove in a run. The catcher threw out a runner attempting to steal second base in the bottom of the fifth inning. 
• Kenny Palmieri knocked in a run and walked once. 
• Burger led the team with two hits, while scoring a run and stealing a base.
• Kreger tallied a hit and a run scored.
• Williams scored a run for the first time in his career. 
• Tehan recorded his first career walk. 
• The Dutchmen outhit the Green Terror 7-6
• Trey Dianna struck out a batter. 

Game Two
McDaniel (1-3) got on the scoreboard first in the second matchup, taking a 6-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning during a frame that included a two-run single, a walk with the bases loaded, and a hit-by-pitch with the bases full. Parker Tarnoci then pitched a scoreless bottom of the second for Lebanon Valley (1-2), striking out the leadoff hitter before getting out of the inning with a double play. The Green Terror added a run in the bottom of the third inning, going up 7-0 on an RBI double. 

The Dutchmen generated some traffic on the basepaths in the top of the fourth, as Berry hit a single up the middle while Matthew Kendall and Phillips both drew a walk. Kendall also stole second base during the frame. In the bottom half of the fourth, McDaniel made it an 8-0 contest on a solo home run. Lebanon Valley then got a pair of runners on base in the top of the fifth inning, as Daniel Palmieri reached base via a hit-by-pitch and Williams logged a bunt single to third base. Connor Smith entered the game in the bottom of the fifth to pitch for LVC, and he delivered a 1-2-3 inning with a flyout to Kenny Palmieri in right field, a flyout to Williams in center field, and a strikeout looking. 

Lebanon Valley got on the board in the top of the sixth inning, narrowing the score to 8-1. Kendall led off with a walk and stole second base, before a single to center field by Phillips put runners on the corners. Kreger then hit an RBI double down the right-field line, driving in Kendall. In the bottom half of the sixth, Smith retired the side in order again with a groundout to Daniel Palmieri at third base and two strikeouts looking. Smith continued his dominant relief outing in the bottom of the seventh, pitching a scoreless frame with a groundout to Mennillo at second base, a lineout to Berry at shortstop, and a strikeout swinging. 

Kyle McCracken came out of the bullpen to pitch for the Dutchmen in the bottom of the eighth inning and blanked the opposition, striking out two batters swinging in the process. Lebanon Valley's lineup continued to battle in the top of the ninth inning, plating three more runs to make it an 8-4 contest. The club loaded the bases after Will Plappert reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, Williams singled to right-center field, and Kendall walked. Phillips then drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded, bringing home Plappert. This was followed by Cole Kingsbury reaching base on an error by the third baseman, allowing Williams to score. Jirik also got on base via an error by the shortstop, prompting Kendall to cross the plate. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the end of the game. 

Inside the Box Score

• Kendall reached base four times, registering his first career hit and a game-high and season-high three walks. The first-year also tied a game-high two runs scored and had a game-high two stolen bases, marking season-highs in both categories.
• Phillips tallied a hit, an RBI, and a season-high two walks.
• Kreger hit a double and drove in a run. 
• Williams tied a game-high two hits, marking the first hits of his career. 
• Plappert scored a run for the first time in his career. 
• Berry tallied a base hit and a walk. 
• Daniel Palmieri logged the first walk and first hit-by-pitch of his career.
• Satterfield drew a walk. 
• Lebanon Valley outhit McDaniel 6-5. 
• Smith registered the first four strikeouts of his career in three perfect innings of relief. 
• McCracken fanned two batters in a scoreless inning of relief. 
• Tarnoci recorded the first two strikeouts of his career. 
• Jordy Polanco struck out a career-high two batters.

Up Next 
Lebanon Valley will begin its six-game Florida Spring Break Trip against Norwich University on Tuesday, March 3, at 11 a.m., in Vero Beach, Fla. 

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