ANNVILLE, Pa. ­­– The Lebanon Valley College softball team crossed the plate 21 times to sweep its doubleheader against Wilkes University, earning two run-rule wins on Thursday, April 9, at the LVC Softball Park. LVC posted an 11-3 victory in five innings during the first matchup, while winning the second contest 10-2 in five innings. 

Game One 
Holly Grube pitched a scoreless top of the first inning for the Dutchmen (12-13), picking up a strikeout looking for the second out before getting out of the frame with a fielder's choice. Lebanon Valley then opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, taking a 1-0 lead over the Colonels (13-8). Grube led off with a single through the left side and advanced to second base on a throwing error by the left fielder. Later in the inning, Maddy Gronback lined a two-out RBI double to left-center field to knock in Grube. 

Grube tossed a 1-2-3 frame for the Flying Dutchmen in the top of the second, registering a flyout to left fielder Miley Beachel, a groundout to shortstop Megan Heard, and a lineout to right fielder Katie Muller. Lebanon Valley followed this with two more runs in the bottom half of the second, taking a 3-0 advantage over Wilkes. Nikki Sellers started the rally with a double to left-center field, and Muller hit a single to center field to put runners on the corners. Muller then stole second base, and Sellers scored on the play due to a throwing error by the Colonels' catcher on a failed pickoff attempt. Grube also hit a two-out RBI triple to center field, driving in Muller. 

Wilkes got on the board in the top of the third inning, narrowing the score to 3-1 on an RBI single. The Colonels then hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth, tying the game at 3-3. The Dutchmen followed this by scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth, going up 5-3. Sellers led off the inning with a single to center field before pinch runner Avery Eaton stole second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Muller. Abby McElroy then came through with a bunt RBI single to the pitcher, plating Eaton. Heard later stepped into the batter's box with a runner on second with two outs, and the senior hit a single to second base. The Colonels' first baseman muffed the throw on this play, allowing Grube to score. 

Wilkes loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth inning, but LVC got out of the frame unscathed with a big double play. Lebanon Valley then crossed the plate six times in the bottom of the fifth, winning the contest 11-3 due to the run rule. Gronback led off with a double to right-center before Bella Mackison launched a two-run homer over the left-center field fence. Muller later hit an RBI triple to right-center, knocking in Nicole Kratz. McElroy then bunted the ball back to the pitcher and reached base on an RBI fielder's choice, bringing home Muller. Heard also came through with an RBI groundout to second base, scoring McElroy. This was followed by Grube crossing the plate on a wild pitch, securing the win for LVC. 

Inside the Box Score

• Grube recorded game-highs with three hits and three runs scored, tying her career-high in hits and setting her career-high in runs scored. The sophomore also drove in a run with a triple. In the pitching circle, Grube improved her record to 5-2 this season, striking out a batter in the process.  
• Mackison logged two hits with a two-run home run and a double, while tying a game-high two RBIs. 
• Muller had a season-high two hits with a triple, tied a career-high two runs scored, knocked in a run, and stole a base. 
• Gronback hit a game-high two doubles, tying a career-high. The senior also tallied an RBI and a run scored. 
• McElroy registered a hit, two RBIs, and a run scored. The sophomore tied a game-high and set a career-high in RBIs. 
• Heard picked up a base hit and an RBI. 
• Sellers matched a career-high two hits, including a double, while scoring a run.
• Kratz recorded a hit and a run scored. 
• Eaton stole a base and crossed the plate once. 
• Lebanon Valley outhit Wilkes 14-7. 

Game Two 
Wilkes (13-9) had runners on second and third base with two outs in the top of the first inning, but Lebanon Valley (13-13) got out of the frame unscathed when starting pitcher Abby Reed struck out a batter swinging. The Dutchmen then struck first in the bottom half of the first, taking an early 3-0 lead. Grube led off by hitting a ball to second base and reaching on a fielding error before advancing to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Heard. Grube followed this by stealing third base and scoring on a throwing error by the Colonels' catcher. Gronback later hit a triple down the right-field line and crossed the plate when Mackison lined an RBI single to center field. Kratz also delivered an RBI double to right-center field, knocking in Mackison. 

Wilkes got on the board in the top of the second, narrowing the score to 3-2 on a two-run home run. The Flying Dutchmen answered back with three runs in the bottom of the second, going ahead 6-2. The rally began when Muller singled up the middle and stole second base before Eaton singled to center and advanced to second on the throw, putting runners on second and third base. Grube then logged an RBI groundout to shortstop, bringing in Muller. Heard followed this by bunting the ball back to the pitcher and reaching base on an RBI fielder's choice, scoring Eaton. Later in the frame, Gronback hit an RBI single through the left side to drive in Heard.

Reed pitched a scoreless top of the third inning for LVC, recording the final out with a flyout to Eaton in center field to strand runners on first and second base. Reed also posted a zero for the Dutchmen in the top of the fourth inning, registering the third out with a flyout to Beachel in left field to leave a runner at first base. Lebanon Valley then added a run in the bottom of the fourth, extending its lead to 7-2. Gronback got things started with a two-out single to third base, before pinch runner Lauren Foster stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Foster then crossed the plate on a wild pitch. 

Reed blanked Wilkes in the top of the fifth inning as well, retiring the side in order with a flyout to Eaton in center field, a foul out to Mackison behind the plate, and a strikeout looking. The Dutchmen then tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fifth, winning the game 10-2 due to the run rule. The program loaded the bases with a walk by Kratz, a single to right field by Sellers, and a two-out walk by Grube. Heard then lined a two-run single to right-center field, scoring pinch runner Aubrey Gahman and Sellers. Grube later scored on a wild pitch, sealing the victory. 

Inside the Box Score

• Heard picked up a base hit and a game-high three RBIs, tying a career-high. The senior also scored a run and stole a game-high two bases. 
• Gronback recorded a game-high three hits with a triple, tying a career-high in hits. The senior also drove in a run and scored a run. 
• Mackison tallied a hit, an RBI, and a run scored. 
• Kratz matched a season-high two hits with a double, while registering an RBI and a walk. 
• Grube logged a walk, an RBI, a stolen base, and a game-high two runs scored. 
• Muller tallied a hit, a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. 
• Sellers had a base hit, a stolen base, and a run scored. 
• Eaton registered a hit and crossed the plate once. 
• Foster stole a base and scored a run. 
• Gahman recorded her first career run scored.
• The Dutchmen outhit the Colonels 10-5. 
• Reed earned her third win of the season, striking out three batters in five innings. 

Up Next 
Lebanon Valley will be back in action Saturday, April 11, when the program will travel to take on Delaware Valley University for a doubleheader at the DVU Softball Field in Doylestown, Pa. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

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