ANNVILLE, Pa. – Maddy Gronback,
Nikki Sellers, and
Miley Beachel each recorded a two-RBI game for the Lebanon Valley College softball team during its doubleheader against Lycoming College, helping lead the program to a sweep of the twin bill on Monday, March 30, at the LVC Softball Park. The Flying Dutchmen won the first game 9-4 and posted a 5-2 victory in the second matchup.
Game One
Starting pitcher
Holly Grube began the game with a scoreless top of the first inning for the Dutchmen (7-12), notching the final out with a groundout to second baseman
Abby McElroy. Lebanon Valley then crossed the plate five times in the bottom half of the first, taking an early 5-0 lead over the Warriors (5-10). Grube led off with a single up the middle and stole second base before scoring on Beachel's RBI triple to left-center field. Gronback then hit an RBI double to left field, knocking in Beachel.
Nicole Kratz followed this with an RBI double to center field, bringing in Gronback. McElroy also came through with a two-out RBI single down the right-field line, driving in Kratz.
Katie Muller capped off the big inning with an RBI triple to right-center, bringing home McElroy.
Grube also posted a zero for LVC in the top of the second, recording the final out by fielding a groundout herself to leave runners on first and second base. The Flying Dutchmen added three more runs in the bottom of the second, taking an 8-0 advantage. Grube and Beachel both reached base on an error by the second baseman, putting runners on first and second base. Gronback then delivered an RBI single to center field, plating Grube. Later in the frame, Seller hit a two-run single to center field with two outs, knocking in Beachel and Gronback.
Lycoming got on the board in the top of the third inning, narrowing the score to 8-1 on an RBI single. The Warriors also scored in the top of the fourth, making it an 8-2 contest on a play where Gronback threw out a runner attempting to steal second base and a runner on third base came home on the throw. In the top of the fifth inning, Grube blanked the opposition, and LVC registered the final out with a flyout to center fielder
Lauren Foster.
Grube continued her strong start for Lebanon Valley in the top of the sixth, tossing a 1-2-3 frame with a groundout to Kratz at third base, a groundout to shortstop
Megan Heard, and another groundout to Kratz at third. The Dutchmen then tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, going up 9-2.
Avery Eaton got on base on a fielder's choice to shortstop and scored on
Madison Shiffer's pinch-hit RBI double to right field. Lycoming then added two tallies in the top of the seventh inning, making it a 9-4 game on an RBI double and an error.
Chrissy Ivers-Schultz then came in to pitch for LVC and secured the program's victory with a double play.
Inside the Box Score
- Grube recorded a game-high three hits, tying a career-high. The sophomore also matched a game-high and career-high two runs scored while stealing a base. In the pitching circle, Grube improved her record to 3-2 on the season by striking out a batter in 6.1 innings.
- Gronback tallied two hits, tied a game-high two RBIs, and matched a game-high two runs scored to tie a career-high. The catcher also threw out a runner attempting to steal second base in the top of the fourth inning.
- Beachel hit a triple, walked once, drove in a run, and tied a game-high and season-high two runs scored.
- Sellers logged a hit while tying a game-high and career-high two RBIs.
- Kratz hit a double, knocked in a run, and crossed the plate once.
- McElroy registered a base hit, an RBI, and a run scored.
- Muller hit a triple and had an RBI.
- Shiffer hit a double and drove in a run.
- Eaton scored a run.
- Megan Ferenchak picked up a base hit.
- Lebanon Valley outhit Lycoming 12-7.
Game Two
Lycoming (5-11) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI double to left field. Lebanon Valley (8-12) answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the first, going ahead 2-1. Heard got things started with a one-out single before stealing second base, and she scored on Beachel's RBI triple to right-center field. Gronback then hit a ball to shortstop and reached on a fielding error, allowing Beachel to cross the plate.
Abby Reed then pitched a scoreless top of the second for the Dutchmen, notching the final out with a groundout to Heard at shortstop to leave a runner at first base.
Reed also retired the side in order in the top of the third inning, recording a groundout to Grube at second base, a groundout to third baseman
Bella Mackison, and a popout to Heard near third base. Reed tossed a 1-2-3 frame for Lebanon Valley in the top of the fourth as well, logging a flyout to Eaton in right-center, a groundout to Heard at shortstop, and a popout to Grube at second base.
The Flying Dutchmen added two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, taking a 4-1 advantage. The team loaded the bases after Muller hit a double down the right-field line, Ferenchak reached on an error by the shortstop, and Eaton walked. Grube then came through with a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing in Muller. Later in the frame, Beachel hit an RBI single down the left-field line to knock in Eaton. In the top of the fifth, Reed posted another zero for LVC and registered the last two outs with a double play.
The Warriors crossed the plate again in the top of the sixth, trimming their deficit to 4-2 on a sacrifice fly. Lebanon Valley got this run back in the bottom half of the sixth, taking a 5-2 lead. Grube led off the inning with a triple down the right field line before scoring on Heard's RBI single through the left side. Reed then secured the victory for the Dutchmen with a scoreless top of the seventh inning, notching the final out with a groundout to Heard.
Inside the Box Score
- Beachel matched a game-high three hits to set a season-high, while setting a game-high and tying a season-high with two RBIs. The first-year also scored a run.
- Heard tied a game-high and season-high three hits, knocked in a run, scored a run, and stole a base.
- Grube hit a triple, drove in a run, and scored a run.
- Muller doubled and scored a run.
- Eaton recorded her first career walk and a run scored.
- Mackison hit a double.
- Gronback picked up a base hit and an RBI.
- Sellers had a game-high two walks, tying a career-high.
- Ferenchak drew a walk.
- Foster stole a base.
- The Dutchmen outhit the Warriors 10-8.
- Reed earned her second win of the campaign, striking out a batter during a complete-game effort.
Up Next
The Flying Dutchmen will be back in action on Friday, April 3, at 1 p.m., when the team will host Stevens Institute of Technology for a doubleheader at the LVC Softball Park. The first matchup is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
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