ANNVILLE, Pa. ­­– Holly Grube recorded a base hit and a run scored for the Lebanon Valley College softball team in the first matchup of its home-opening doubleheader against Moravian University on Thursday, March 19, at the LVC Softball Park. The Flying Dutchmen battled tough in the twin bill while dropping a 3-1 decision and a 12-0 contest in six innings.

Game One
Starting pitcher Abby Reed began the contest with a scoreless top of the first inning for the Dutchmen, notching the third out with a foul out to catcher Bella Mackison to strand a runner at second base. Lebanon Valley then generated some traffic on the bases in the bottom half of the first, as Megan Heard hit a single to shortstop and Mackison drew a walk. Reed also tossed a shutout frame for LVC in the top of the second, retiring the Greyhounds in order with a lineout to Heard at shortstop, an unassisted groundout to first baseman Nikki Sellers, and a flyout to center fielder Miley Beachel.

Reed pitched another 1-2-3 inning for Lebanon Valley in the top of the third, registering a flyout to left fielder Chrissy Ivers-Schultz, a groundout to Heard up the middle, and a groundout to second baseman Abby McElroy on a bunt. The Flying Dutchmen then opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Grube started the rally with a single up the middle, before advancing to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Heard and a groundout. This was followed by Beachel hitting an RBI single to shallow right field, driving in Grube.

Moravian countered with two runs in the top of the fourth inning, taking a 2-1 advantage on an error and an RBI single. LVC kept working to create scoring chances in the bottom of the fourth, as McElroy led off the frame with a single through the right side and advanced to third base after a sacrifice bunt by Sellers and a groundout. Reed followed this by posting a zero for the Dutchmen in the top of the fifth, getting out of the frame with a flyout to Ivers down the left-field line to leave a runner at second base.

The Greyhounds tacked on a run in the top of the sixth inning, taking a 3-1 lead on a solo home run. The Dutchmen also kept battling in the batter's box in the bottom of the sixth, as Beachel hit a leadoff single to shortstop. Reed then blanked the opposition in the top of the seventh, picking up two strikeouts in the process. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the end of the game.

Inside the Box Score

• Beachel recorded a game-high and season-high two hits, while driving in a run.
• Grube registered a base hit and scored a run.
• Heard had a base and logged a sacrifice bunt.
• McElroy picked up a hit.
• Mackison drew a walk.
• Sellers had a sacrifice bunt.
• Reed struck out three batters.
• Lebanon Valley and Moravian both tallied five hits.

Game Two
Beachel was Lebanon Valley's starting pitcher in the second matchup, and the first-year tossed a shutout frame in the top of the first inning. The program logged the first out when catcher Maddy Gronback threw out a runner attempting to steal second base, and Beachel then struck out the next two batters swinging. Beachel also reached base for LVC in the bottom of the first on a hit-by-pitch.

In the top of the second inning, Beachel blanked Moravian and left a runner on second base by tallying a foul out to third baseman Nicole Kratz for the third out. The Flying Dutchmen kept competing at the plate in the bottom of the second inning, as Sellers hit a one-out single through the right side. The Greyhounds then opened the scoring in the top of the third, taking a 2-0 lead on an RBI single and an RBI double. Lebanon Valley also got a runner on base in the bottom of the third, as Heard reached on a two-out hit-by-pitch.

Beachel tossed a scoreless frame for the Dutchmen in the top of the fourth inning, registering a strikeout in the process. LVC also tallied the second out of the frame when Gronback threw out a runner who was trying to steal second base, before center fielder Lauren Foster caught a flyout for the third out. Moravian then added a tally in the top of the fifth, going up 3-0 on an RBI single. Lebanon Valley continued to battle in the batter's box in the bottom half of the fifth, as Gronback hit a one-out double to left-center field before later moving up to third base.

The Greyhounds scored nine runs in the top of the sixth inning, making it a 12-0 contest during a frame that included two RBI singles, a two-run single, and a grand slam.  This would stand as the final score, as the game ended after the bottom of the sixth due to the run rule.

Inside the Box Score

• Gronback hit a double. The catcher also threw out two runners attempting to steal a base.
• Sellers picked up a base hit.
• In the pitching circle, Beachel struck out a game-high and season-high six batters. The first-year also reached base on a hit-by-pitch.
• Heard logged a hit-by-pitch.

Up Next
Lebanon Valley will begin Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom competition on Saturday, March 21, as the program will host Arcadia University for a doubleheader at the LVC Softball Park. The first matchup is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

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