CLERMONT, Fla. ­­– Megan Heard, Bella Mackison, Nicole Kratz, and Lauren Foster each recorded an RBI for the Lebanon Valley College softball team, as the program battled tough while dropping a 9-4 contest to Wartburg College on Friday, March 6, at Hancock Park Field 4. Later in the day, LVC dropped a 6-0 decision to Hope College at Hancock Park Field 2. 

Game One vs. Wartburg
The Dutchmen opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking an early 1-0 lead over the Knights. The rally started when Holly Grube hit a single, Mackison reached base on an error by the shortstop, and Miley Beachel hit a single to load the bases. Kratz then came through with an RBI groundout to second base, knocking in Grube. Wartburg countered with three runs in the bottom of the first, taking a 3-1 advantage on an RBI groundout and a two-run single.

Lebanon Valley answered by putting three tallies on the scoreboard in the top of the second, going up 4-3. The club quickly had runners on second and third base with no outs, as Nikki Sellers led off with a single and Abby McElroy hit a double. Foster followed this with an RBI groundout to third base, plating Sellers. Heard then hit an RBI single, driving in McElroy. Later in the frame, Mackison delivered an RBI single to drive in Heard. The Knights responded with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second, taking a 5-4 lead. 

Grube pitched a scoreless bottom of the third inning for the Flying Dutchmen, recording a double play and a flyout to Foster in center field. Wartburg then added two runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 7-4 advantage on a pair of RBI singles. Lebanon Valley also kept working to create traffic on the bases in the top of the fifth inning, as Beachel drew a two-out walk. The Knights followed this by scoring on an RBI sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the fifth, going ahead 8-4. 

The Dutchmen put a couple more runners on base in the top of the sixth, as Chrissy Ivers-Schultz hit a double and Sellers drew a walk. Wartburg then tacked on a run with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth, making it a 9-4 game. Lebanon Valley kept competing in the batter's box until the final out, as Foster led off the top of the seventh inning with a single. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the end of the contest. 

Inside the Box Score

• Heard recorded a hit, an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.
• Mackison tallied a hit and an RBI. 
• Foster registered a base hit and her first career RBI. 
• Kratz drove in a run. 
• Grube tied a game-high and season-high two hits while scoring a run. 
• Sellers logged a hit, a walk, and a run scored. 
• McElroy hit her first career double and crossed the plate once. 
• Beachel had a hit and a walk. 
• At the plate, Ivers-Schultz tallied a double. In the pitching circle, the first-year struck out a batter. 
• Lebanon Valley outhit Wartburg 9-7. 

Game Two vs. Hope
Starting pitcher Abby Reed began the game with a scoreless top of the first inning for Lebanon Valley. LVC notched the third out of the frame with a flyout to Beachel in left field, stranding a runner at third base. The Dutchmen then generated some traffic on the bases in the bottom half of the first, as Grube led off with a walk before Heard hit a single through the left side. Beachel also reached base on a fielder's choice during the frame. 

Reed posted another zero for Lebanon Valley in the top of the second, recording the final two outs when catcher Maddy Gronback threw out a runner attempting to steal second base, and the sophomore struck out a batter looking. In the bottom of the second, the Dutchmen got another runner into scoring position when Sellers singled to center field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by McElroy. Hope then got on the board in the top of the third inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a two-run single. Lebanon Valley continued to compete at the plate in the bottom of the third, as Grube led off with a single through the left side and stole second base before Beachel walked and Kratz reached on a fielder's choice.

Reed delivered a 1-2-3 top of the fourth inning for the Dutchmen, registering a popout to Heard up the middle, a groundout to Grube at second base, and a lineout that the pitcher caught herself. LVC's lineup also kept working to create scoring chances in the bottom of the fourth, as McElroy hit a one-out single to right field before pinch runner Karena Justice stole second base. Reed then blanked the opposition in the top of the fifth, getting out of the frame with a double play. Lebanon Valley followed this by generating some traffic on the basepaths in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Grube hit a double to left-center field and Heard singled to left field to put runners on the corners. 

Reed tossed another shutout frame for LVC in the top of the sixth inning, retiring the side in order with a groundout to Heard at shortstop, a groundout to Grube at second base, and another groundout to Heard. Hope then scored four runs on a two-run single and a two-run double in the top of the seventh, extending its advantage to 6-0. The Dutchmen proceeded to continue battling until the end of the contest, as Gronback hit a double to center field, Grube walked, and Heard singled down the left-field line in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the conclusion of the game.

Inside the Box Score

• Heard recorded a game-high and season-high three hits. 
• Grube tied a season-high two hits with a double, while stealing a base. The sophomore also drew a game-high two walks, which tied her career-high. 
• Gronback hit a double as well. The catcher also threw out a runner attempting to steal second base in the top of the second. 
• Sellers and McElroy also picked up a base each. 
• Justice stole a base.
• Beachel walked once.  
• Reed struck out a batter. 

Up Next 
Lebanon Valley will be back in action tomorrow, Saturday, March 7, at 10 a.m., against Swarthmore College at Legends Way Ballfields Field 2 in Clermont, Fla. Later in the day, the Flying Dutchmen will close out their spring break trip against Calvin University at 2:45 p.m. on the same field. 

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