ANNVILLE, Pa. ­­– Holly Grube recorded five hits with a home run and three RBIs for the Lebanon Valley College softball team in a doubleheader sweep of Stevens Institute of Technology, while also pitching a complete game without allowing an earned run in the second win on Friday, April 3, at the LVC Softball Park. LVC took the first matchup 8-3 before delivering a 2-1 victory in the second contest. 

Game One 
Miley Beachel began the game by pitching a scoreless top of the first inning for the Dutchmen (9-12, 3-2 MAC Freedom), retiring the side in order with a popout to shortstop Megan Heard, a strikeout swinging, and a groundout to Heard. Lebanon Valley then opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, taking an early 2-0 lead over the Ducks (14-11, 3-4 MAC Freedom). Grube led off with a single up the middle and scored on a play where Heard bunted a single to third base and advanced to second on a throwing error by the third baseman. Maddy Gronback later came through with an RBI double to right-center field, knocking in Heard.

Stevens countered with three RBI singles in the top of the second, taking a 3-2 advantage. The Flying Dutchmen got another runner into scoring position in the bottom of the second, as Heard hit a two-out triple to right field. Beachel then posted a zero for LVC in the top of the third inning, notching the final out with a foul out to first baseman Nikki Sellers to strand a runner at first base. In the bottom of the third, Lebanon Valley scored twice to go ahead 4-3. Gronback got things started with a leadoff single down the right-field line before pinch runner Lauren Foster stole second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nicole Kratz. Bella Mackison then drove a two-run home run over the left-center field fence, plating Foster. 

Beachel tossed a 1-2-3 inning for the Dutchmen in the top of the fourth inning, registering a strikeout swinging, a lineout to Sellers at first base, and a lineout to left fielder Sydney Zeigler. Lebanon Valley added a pair of tallies in the bottom of the fourth, extending its lead to 6-3. Avery Eaton led off with a triple to left-center field and crossed the plate on Grube's RBI double to left-center field. Heard followed this with an RBI single to center field, knocking in Grube. 

In the top of the fifth inning, Beachel blanked the opposition and got out of the frame with a double play. The Flying Dutchmen also tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fifth, claiming an 8-3 lead. Mackison led off with a double to right-center, and pinch runner Karena Justice advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Sellers. Katie Muller then delivered an RBI double down the right-field line, scoring Justice. Later in the frame, Grube hit an RBI triple to left field to drive in Muller. In the top of the sixth inning, Beachel retired the side in order with flyouts to each position in the outfield. Beachel then secured Lebanon Valley's victory with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning, recording two flyouts to Eaton in center and a foul out to Kratz. 

Inside the Box Score

• Mackison set a career-high and tied a game-high with three hits, including her first home run of the season and a double. The sophomore also matched a game-high two RBIs and scored a run. 
• Grube tied a game-high and career-high three hits with a double and a triple, while tying a game-high and season-high two RBIs. The sophomore also scored a game-high two runs, matching a career-high. 
• Heard tied a game-high and season-high three hits with a triple, while driving in a run, scoring a run, and drawing a walk. 
• Beachel struck out two batters in a complete-game effort, earning her fourth win of the season. At the plate, the first-year drew a walk. 
• Gronback tallied two hits with a double while knocking in a run. 
• Muller hit a double, drove in a run, and scored a run. 
• Eaton hit her first career triple and scored a run. 
• Foster stole a base and crossed the plate once. 
• Justice scored a run. 
• Kratz picked up a base hit, which marked her seventh consecutive game with a hit. The senior was also hit by a pitch. 
• Sellers logged a hit as well. 
• Lebanon Valley outhit Stevens 15-6.

Game Two 
Stevens (14-12, 3-5 MAC Freedom) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout. Lebanon Valley (10-12, 4-2 MAC Freedom) answered right back in the bottom half of the first, taking a 2-1 advantage. Grube led off by hitting a solo home run over the left-field fence, tying the game. Beachel then hit a double to left-center field and crossed the plate when Gronback came through with an RBI single through the right side. 

Grube blanked the Ducks in the top of the second, and LVC got out of the frame when Gronback threw out a runner attempting to steal third base. The Dutchmen then generated some more traffic on the bases in the bottom of the second, as Eaton hit a bunt single back to the pitcher and Grube singled up the middle. Grube followed this by posting a zero for Lebanon Valley in the top of the third inning, retiring the side in order with a strikeout swinging, a groundout that she fielded herself, and a groundout to second baseman Abby McElroy. In the bottom of the third inning, the Flying Dutchmen got a runner into scoring position by Beachel hitting a single to right field and moving up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gronback.

Grube tossed a 1-2-3 frame for Lebanon Valley in the top of the fourth, tallying a groundout to McElroy at second base, a groundout that the pitcher fielded herself, and a groundout to Kratz at third base. The Dutchmen also kept competing in the batter's box in the bottom of the fourth, as Sellers, Eaton, and Heard each hit a single. Back in the pitching circle, Grube limited Stevens in the top of the fifth and ended the frame with a fielder's choice. Lebanon Valley's lineup got another runner into scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, as Mackison hit a two-out single up the middle before Foster pinch ran and stole second base. 

Grube continued her strong start for the Flying Dutchmen in the top of the sixth inning, as the club logged the final out of a scoreless inning with a groundout to McElroy at second to strand runners on first and second base. Grube also kept the Ducks from crossing the plate in the top of the seventh inning, securing LVC's 2-1 victory. Stevens had a runner on third base with two outs, and an 0-1 pitch went to the backstop, but Gronback tossed the ball to Grube, who was covering home plate and tagged out the runner for the final out. 

Inside the Box Score

• Grube tied a game-high two hits, including her second home run of the season, which marked her 100th career hit. The sophomore has recorded a base hit in each of her last eight games. In the pitching circle, Grube earned her third win of the season by striking out a game-high three batters without allowing an earned run in a complete-game performance. 
• Gronback logged an RBI single. The catcher also threw out a runner attempting to steal a base in the top of the second. 
• Beachel tallied two hits with a double, while scoring a run. 
• Eaton matched a game-high and set a season-high with two hits. 
• Heard, Mackison, and Sellers each picked up a base hit. 
• Foster stole a base. 
• Kratz reached base on a hit-by-pitch.
• The Dutchmen outhit the Ducks 10-2.
• The victory marked LVC's fourth consecutive win. 

Up Next 
Lebanon Valley will return to action on Monday, April 6, when the program will take on Elizabethtown College in a doubleheader at The Nest in Elizabethtown, Pa. The first game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

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