CLERMONT, Fla. ­­– Holly Grube recorded two RBIs, a solo home run, and a win in the pitching circle, helping lead the Lebanon Valley College softball team to a 5-3 victory over Marian University (Wis.) on Opening Day on Sunday, March 1, at Legends Way Ballfields Field 2. Earlier in the day, LVC battled tough against Alma College while dropping a 4-0 contest. 

Game One vs. Alma 
The Dutchmen (0-1) were the home team in the first matchup, and starting pitcher Abby Reed began the game by posting a scoreless top of the first against the Scots (1-0). The sophomore tallied the first two outs with strikeouts before stranding runners on the corners with a groundout to shortstop Megan Heard. Lebanon Valley then generated some traffic on the basepaths in the bottom of the first, as Grube hit a single up the middle and Bella Mackison drew a walk. 

Reed delivered another shutout frame for LVC in the top of the second, notching the final out with a flyout to left fielder Miley Beachel down the left-field line. The Flying Dutchmen got another runner on base in the bottom half of the second, as Nikki Sellers led off with a single through the right side. Alma then opened the scoring in the top of the third inning, taking a 2-0 lead with an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly. Lebanon Valley also kept competing in the batter's box as the contest went on, as Grube hit a single to left field and stole second base in the bottom of the third.

Reed tossed a 1-2-3 inning for the Dutchmen in the top of the fourth, registering a strikeout swinging, a flyout to Beachel in left field, and a flyout to center fielder Sydney Zeigler in left-center field. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Beachel got into scoring position for LVC by hitting a two-out single to shortstop and stealing second base. Reed then posted another zero for Lebanon Valley in the top of the fifth, leaving a runner at second base after recording a groundout to Heard at shortstop to end the frame. The Flying Dutchmen kept working to create offensive opportunities as well, as Heard drew a one-out walk and stole second base in the bottom of the fifth.

Reed also blanked the opposition in the top of the sixth inning, marking her third consecutive shutout frame for LVC. Alma then added two runs in the top of the seventh inning, taking a 4-0 advantage on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. Lebanon Valley proceeded to continue battling until the final out, as Abby McElroy drew a walk with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the end of the game. 

Inside the Box Score

• Grube tallied two base hits and stole a base.
• Beachel recorded the first base hit and first stolen base of her career.
• Sellers logged a hit. 
• Heard drew a walk and stole a base. 
• Mackison and McElroy each walked once. 
• Reed struck out five batters in six innings. 

Game Two vs. Marian (Wis.)
Lebanon Valley (1-1) was the visiting team in the second contest, and Grube was the program's starting pitcher. The sophomore began the game by tossing a scoreless bottom of the first inning against Marian (0-2), getting out of the frame with a double play. 

The Dutchmen then opened the scoring with four runs in the top of the second, taking a 4-0 lead over the Sabres. The club started the rally by loading the bases, as Nicole Kratz and Beachel singled while Madison Shiffer walked. Katie Muller then hit an RBI single to left field, driving in Kratz. This was followed by McElroy hitting a ball to shortstop and reaching base on a fielding error, allowing Beachel to score. Heard then singled through the left side, knocking in Shiffer. Grube capped off the big inning with an RBI single to left field, plating Muller. Back in the pitching circle, Grube posted a zero for LVC in the bottom of the second and notched the third out with a foul out to Muller down the right-field line. 

Lebanon Valley kept creating traffic on the bases in the top of the third inning, as Beachel walked, Shiffer hit a single to right-center field, and Muller drew a walk. Grube continued her strong start for the Flying Dutchmen in the bottom half of the third, delivering a shutout frame. The program tallied the last two outs on a lineout and a groundout to McElroy at second base, stranding runners on first and second. LVC then tacked on a run in the top of the fourth inning, going ahead 5-0 when Grube hit a solo homer over the right-field fence. Grube followed this by blanking Marian again in the bottom of the fourth. Lebanon Valley registered the final out with a lineout to McElroy at second to leave a runner at first base. 

The Sabres got on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning, narrowing the score to 5-3 with three RBI singles. Beachel then pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth for the Dutchmen, in which the frame ended with a double play. Beachel also kept the opposition from crossing the plate in the bottom half of the seventh inning, securing Lebanon Valley's first victory of the 2026 season. The first-year closed out the game by retiring the side in order, recording the final out with a groundout where Shiffer fielded the ball and threw it to McElroy, who was covering first base. 

Inside the Box Score

• Grube tied a game-high two hits with LVC's first home run of the season, while registering a game-high two RBIs and scoring once. In the pitching circle, the sophomore struck out a batter in 4.1 innings while earning her first win of the year. 
• Beachel logged a hit, her first career walk, and her first run scored. The sophomore also tallied her first career strikeout in 2.2 scoreless innings in the pitching circle, while recording her first career save. 
• Heard matched a game-high two hits and drove in a run. 
• Kratz tied a game-high two base hits and scored a run. 
• Muller had a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Shiffer picked up her first career base hit, first career walk, and first career run scored. 
• McElroy tallied an RBI. 
• Lebanon Valley and Marian each tallied nine hits.
• Head Coach Scot Adams earned his 200th career victory as a collegiate Head Coach. 

Up Next 
The Flying Dutchmen will return to action tomorrow, Monday, March 2, at 9 a.m., when the program will take on Eastern University at Legends Way Ballfields Field 3 in Clermont, Fla. Lebanon Valley will also face off against Illinois College at 11:30 a.m. on the same field.

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