ANNVILLE, Pa. ­­– The Lebanon Valley College softball team began its Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom schedule with a doubleheader sweep of Arcadia University, earning 10-5 and 4-1 victories on Saturday, March 21, at the LVC Softball Park.

Game One
The Knights (7-4, 0-1 MAC Freedom) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a two-run double to center field. The Dutchmen (3-10, 1-0 MAC Freedom) answered right back with three runs in the bottom half of the first, taking a 3-2 advantage. The club quickly had runners on first and second base with no outs, as Holly Grube hit a single to center field and Megan Heard reached on a fielding error by the second baseman. Miley Beachel then hit an RBI single down the left-field line, knocking in Grube. Bella Mackison later came up to the plate with runners on second and third base and lined a two-run double down the left-field line, driving in Heard and Beachel.

Arcadia countered with three runs in the top of the second inning, taking a 5-3 lead after a frame that included two RBI singles and an error. Lebanon Valley responded with three runs in the bottom of the second, going up 6-5. Madison Shiffer led off with a double to left-center field, before advancing to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Lauren Foster. Grube then hit an RBI single to left-center field, plating Shiffer. Grube followed this by stealing second base and advancing to third on an error, before scoring when Heard hit a ball to left field and reached second base on an error. Heard later stole third base and crossed the plate on Maddy Gronback's RBI single up the middle.

Beachel pitched a scoreless top of the third inning for LVC, getting out of the frame with a double play. The program registered the final two outs when right fielder Katie Muller caught a flyout and delivered an excellent throw to third baseman Nicole Kratz, who tagged out the runner attempting to advance from second base. Beachel then retired the side in order in the top of the fourth, logging a popout to Grube at second base, a strikeout looking, and a groundout to Heard at shortstop.

Lebanon Valley's lineup tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth, extending its lead to 10-5. The team quickly had runners on second and third with no outs, as Heard led off with a walk and Beachel hit a double to left field. Gronback then hit an RBI single to right field, scoring Heard. This was followed by Mackison bunting a ball to first base and reaching on an RBI fielder's choice, allowing Beachel to cross the plate. Kratz later hit a sacrifice fly to left field, knocking in Gronback. Shiffer also came through with an RBI double to center field, bringing in pinch runner Avery Eaton.

Beachel tossed a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning for the Flying Dutchmen, tallying two flyouts to Muller in right field and lineout to Grube at second base. Beachel retired the side in order again in the top of the sixth, recording a lineout to Heard at shortstop, a strikeout swinging, and a popout to Shiffer at first base. Beachel faced just three batters in the top of the seventh inning as well, sealing LVC's win with a groundout to Kratz at third base for the final out.

Inside the Box Score

• Grube tied a game-high and career-high three hits, while driving in a run and tying a career-high two run scored. The sophomore also had a game-high two stolen bases, matching her career-high.
• Beachel tied a season-high two hits and set a season-high with two runs scored. The first-year also had an RBI and a stolen base. In the pitching circle, Beachel picked up her second win of the year and struck out three batters.
• Mackison hit a double and tied a game-high three RBIs. This marked the sophomore's career-high in RBIs.
• Gronback tied a game-high and career-high three hits, while tallying two RBIs and a run scored.
• Heard scored a game-high three runs, tying her career-high. The senior also walked once, knocked in a run, and stole a base.
• Shiffer registered a game-high and season-high two doubles, marking her season-high in hits. The first-year also drove in a run and scored a run.
• Kratz logged a walk and an RBI.
• Eaton recorded her first career stolen base and her first career run scored.
• Sydney Zeigler logged a base hit.
• Karena Justice stole a base.
• The Flying Dutchmen set season-highs with 10 runs, 10 RBIs, 12 hits, two sacrifice flies, and six stolen bases. 
• Lebanon Valley outhit Arcadia 12-7.

Game Two
Arcadia (7-5, 0-2 MAC Freedom) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI single. Lebanon Valley (4-10, 2-0 MAC Freedom) then got a runner into scoring position in the bottom half of the first, as Beachel hit a two-out single to shortstop and stole second base. Starting pitcher Abby Reed followed this by posting a zero for LVC in the top of the second, retiring the side in order with a strikeout swinging and two groundouts to Heard at shortstop.

The Dutchmen later got on the board in the bottom of the second, taking a 2-1 advantage. Kratz started the rally by hitting a one-out triple to right field, before crossing the plate on Zeigler's RBI single to left field. Zeigler followed this by stealing second base, prior to scoring when Nikki Sellers drove an RBI double off the left-field fence. Reed tossed another 1-2-3 frame for Lebanon Valley in the top of the third inning, registering a flyout to Zeigler in right field, a groundout to Heard at shortstop, and another flyout to Zeigler. The Flying Dutchmen continued to generate traffic on the basepaths in the bottom of the third, as Heard walked and stole second base while Beachel hit a double to left field.

Reed pitched a shutout frame for Lebanon Valley in the top of the fourth as well, getting out of the frame with a groundout to Kratz at third base to strand a runner at second base. In the top of the fifth inning, Reed retired the side in order again with a groundout to Grube at second base, a popout to Heard at shortstop, and a groundout to Heard up the middle. Reed also blanked the opposition in the top of the sixth, and LVC tallied the final two outs of the inning with a double play.

The Dutchmen tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending their lead to 4-1. The rally began with a leadoff walk by Beachel and a single up the middle by Gronback, before the runners advanced to second and third base on a sacrifice bunt by Mackison. Kratz then came through with an RBI single to center field, plating Beachel. Sellers later hit a sacrifice fly to the center fielder in right-center field, bringing home Gronback. Reed closed out Lebanon Valley's with a scoreless top of the seventh inning. The program recorded the first out when an Arcadia batter singled to right-center field, and Foster threw out the runner attempting to stretch the hit into a double. The next hitter popped out to Grube at second base, and the final out of the game was made on a lineout to Beachel in left field.  

Inside the Box Score

• Kratz matched a game-high and season-high two hits with a triple. The senior also drove in a run and crossed the plate once.
• Sellers hit a double and logged a game-high two RBIs, tying her career-high.
• Beachel matched a game-high and season-high two hits, while walking once, stealing a base, and scoring a run.
• Zeigler recorded a hit and a run scored, as well as her first career RBI, first career walk, and first career stolen base.
• Reed earned her first win of the season and struck out two batters.
• Muller registered her first career stolen base.
• Gronback tallied a hit and a run scored.
• Heard walked and stole a base.
• The Dutchmen outhit the Knights 7-5.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will return to action on Wednesday, March 25, when the team will travel to Alvernia University for a doubleheader at Angelica Park in Reading, Pa. The first game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

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