ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. ­­– Miley Beachel pitched a complete-game shutout for the Lebanon Valley College softball team, while Megan Heard delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the program's 1-0 victory over Elizabethtown College on Monday, April 6, at The Nest. Earlier in the day, LVC battled valiantly in the first matchup of the doubleheader while dropping a 7-6 decision. 

Game One 
The Blue Jays (14-9) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI single. The Dutchmen (10-13) then got a runner in scoring position in the top of the second, as Bella Mackison hit a one-out double to center field. In the bottom half of the second, Elizabethtown scored again on an RBI groundout to go up 2-0. 

The Blue Jays added three runs in the bottom of the third inning, taking a 5-0 advantage on an RBI double and two RBI singles. Lebanon Valley also created some traffic on the bases in the top of the fourth, as Megan Heard led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch and stole second base. Elizabethtown later hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth, making it a 6-0 contest. 

The Flying Dutchmen got on the board in the top of the fifth inning, narrowing the score to 6-1. Mackison led off the frame with a walk and moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Madison Shiffer then came through with an RBI single through the right side, knocking in Mackison. Abby Reed followed this by pitching a scoreless bottom of the fifth for LVC, retiring the side in order with a popout to second baseman Holly Grube, a flyout to right fielder Katie Muller, and another popout to Grube. 

Lebanon Valley posted a five-run frame in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 6-6. The program loaded the bases with a bunt single to third base by Heard, a single to left field for Beachel, and a walk for Mackison. Nikki Sellers, Shiffer, and Muller then each drew a walk with the bases full, plating Heard, Beachel, and Mackison, respectively. Grube later delivered a clutch two-run single up the middle, driving in Sellers and Shiffer to even the score. The Blue Jays responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, taking a 7-6 lead. 

The Dutchmen continued to battle until the final out, as Maddy Gronback hit a one-out single to left field and pinch runner Sydney Zeigler got into scoring position by stealing second base. Ultimately, the score was maintained through the end of the contest. 

Inside the Box Score

• Grube picked up a hit and tied a game-high and season-high two RBIs. 
• Shiffer recorded a hit, two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. The first-year tied a game-high and set a season-high in RBIs.  
• Mackison hit a double, drew a game-high and career-high two walks, and scored a season-high two runs. 
• Sellers had a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Heard tallied a hit, a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base, and a run scored. 
• Muller drew a walk and drove in a run. 
• Beachel registered a base hit and a run scored. 
• Gronback and Eaton each logged a hit.
• Zeigler stole a base. 
• Reed struck out a game-high two batters. 

Game Two 
Beachel began the second matchup by pitching a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning for Lebanon Valley (11-13), logging a groundout to Mackison at third base, a popout to Grube at second base, and a flyout to Zeigler in left field. The Dutchmen then generated some traffic on the basepaths in the top of the second, as Gronback led off with a single to left field and Shiffer later singled to right-center to put runners on the corners. In the bottom of the second, Beachel posted another zero against Elizabethtown (14-10). The first-year notched the third out for LVC with a popout to Shiffer at first base to strand runners on first and second. 

The Flying Dutchmen got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Megan Ferenchak led off the frame with a single to left field and advanced to third base after a sacrifice bunt by Zeigler and an error by the third baseman. Heard then hit an RBI single to center field, knocking in Ferenchak. Beachel later tossed a scoreless inning for Lebanon Valley in the bottom of the third, recording the last out with a groundout to Heard at shortstop to leave a runner at second base. 

Beachel continued her strong start for the Dutchmen in the bottom of the fourth, blanking the opposition with a frame that included two strikeouts. Lebanon Valley also kept competing in the batter's box in the top of the fifth inning, as Grube hit a two-out single to shortstop. In the bottom half of the fifth, Beachel kept Elizabethtown off the board and got out of the frame with a flyout to Muller in right field to strand a runner at first base. 

The Blue Jays had a runner on second base with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and the Flying Dutchmen escaped the frame unscathed after a flyout to Zeigler in left field and an unassisted groundout to Shiffer at first base. Beachel then secured Lebanon Valley's 1-0 victory with a scoreless bottom of the seventh inning, registering the final out with a lineout to Zeigler in left field to leave a runner at second base. 

Inside the Box Score

• Beachel struck out two batters in a complete-game shutout, improving her record to 5-4. At the plate, the first-year tallied a base hit. 
• Heard recorded a hit and drove in the go-ahead run. 
• Ferenchak logged a base hit and scored her first career run, which proved to be the difference in the game. 
• Grube picked up a hit, extending her hitting streak to 10 games. 
• Gronback registered a hit, marking her sixth consecutive game with at least one hit. 
• Shiffer had a hit as well.
• Lebanon Valley outhit Elizabethtown 6-5. 

Up Next 
The Dutchmen will be back in action on Thursday, April 9, when the program will host Wilkes University for a doubleheader at the LVC Softball Park. The first matchup is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

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