DALLAS, Pa. –Nico Santoro picked up his 200thcareer hit, and Shane Stossel became the Lebanon Valley College baseball team's all-time home runs leader during the club's doubleheader against No. 19 Misericordia University on Sunday, April 7 at Tambur Field. The Dutchmen delivered a strong effort but dropped the contests by scores of 5-1 and 14-8.
Game One
This game was a pitcher's duel early, as the Flying Dutchmen and the Cougars traded zeros during the first inning. Andrew Spaan was the starter for LVC and posted a scoreless bottom of the first after a fly out to center field, a bunt back to the mound that he fielded, and another fly out to center. The Cougars then opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI single to right field.
Spaan continued to compete as the contest progressed, blanking the opposition over the next three innings. The junior had runners on first and third base with one out in the bottom of the third, but he got out of the inning with a double play on a grounder to shortstop. Spaan then retired the side in order in the fourth, registering a pop out to shortstop, a groundout to third base, and a fly out to right field. The right-hander also got out of the bottom of the fifth with a double play, maintaining the score.
Lebanon Valley generated some traffic on the basepaths in the top of the sixth inning, as Luke Pollock led off the frame with a single to right field before Pete Botbyl hit a one-out single to right. Misericordia then added four runs in the bottom of the sixth, going ahead 5-0 with an inning that included three RBI singles.
The Dutchmen got on the board in the top of the seventh inning, narrowing the score to 5-1. Stossel drove a solo home run over the right-center field wall for his 24thcareer blast, setting LVC's all-time homers record. The club kept battling at the plate until the final out, getting a runner into scoring position after Tyler Satterfield hit a single to shortstop, and pinch runner Logan Fuga stole second. Ultimately, this would stand as the final score.
Inside the Box Score
- Stossel broke Lebanon Valley's program record for career home runs with his long ball in the seventh. The senior's 24thcareer homer passed Kevin Wagner on the all-time list.
- Luke Pollock and Pete Botbyl picked up hits with singles in the top of the sixth.
- Satterfield also registered a knock with a single in the seventh inning.
- Fuga stole his first base of the season.
- Nico Santoro and Ethan O'Loughlin both tallied walks.
- Spaan struck out a batter in six innings on the mound.
Game Two
Lebanon Valley got its offense rolling early in the second game, taking a 3-0 lead over Misericordia in the top of the first inning. The club quickly loaded the bases with no outs, as Botbyl drew a leadoff walk, Santoro sent a double to right field for his 200thcareer hit, and Stossel was hit by a pitch. This was followed by Jace Fetterman blooping an RBI single down the left-field line, plating Botbyl. Logan Brewer then hit a ground ball that got by Misericordia's third baseman, allowing him to reach on the error while scoring Santoro and Stossel.
The Cougars responded in the bottom of the first inning, trimming their deficit to 3-2 after an RBI groundout to shortstop and an RBI single to left field. The Dutchmen answered back with three runs in the top of the second inning, extending their advantage to 6-2. Lincoln Hower got to third base with no outs in the frame after leading off with a walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch, and stealing third. Santoro later lined a one-out RBI double down the right-field line, bringing home Hower. Stossel followed this by driving an RBI double to right-center field, knocking in Santoro. O'Loughlin capped off the frame with an RBI single that got by the shortstop and went into left field, plating Stossel.
Misericordia countered with a run in the bottom of the second, making it a 6-3 ballgame on an RBI groundout to shortstop. The club added a couple more in the bottom of the third, narrowing the score to 6-5 with a frame that included an RBI double. The Cougars then tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the fourth inning, plating a run on a sacrifice fly to center. Misericordia followed this with five runs in the bottom of the fifth, going ahead 11-6 after an inning that included a three-run triple and an RBI single.
LVC pitcher Ryan Pickle then struck out a batter for the final out of the fifth, before striking out the side in order in the bottom of the sixth. Lebanon Valley crossed the plate in the top of the seventh inning, making it an 11-7 contest. O'Loughlin led off the frame with a double down the left-field line before Ryan Petrucci brought the senior home with an RBI double to right field. The Cougars responded with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, advancing the score to 13-7 after a frame that had a sacrifice fly.
The Dutchmen kept battling in the batter's box as the game went into the top of the eighth, narrowing the contest to 13-8. Santoro led off the frame with a single to left field and moved to second on a wild pitch, before Stossel knocked him home with an RBI double right. The Cougars tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth with a sacrifice fly to right field, prompting 14-8 to be the final score.
Inside the Box Score
- LVC scored eight runs on 12 hits and four walks. The club's lineup also posted a season-high eight doubles.
- Santoro tied a season-high three hits, including the 200thof his career with a double in the first inning. The graduate student also had a walk and an RBI while tying a game-high and career-high three runs scored.
- Stossel also tied a season-high three hits with a career-high three doubles. The senior drove in two runs and crossed the plate twice as well.
- O'Loughlin recorded two hits with an RBI and a run scored.
- Fetterman, Brewer, and Petrucci each tallied a hit and an RBI.
- Botbyl and Hower both walked and scored a run.
- Hower also swiped his second bag of the year.
- Nathan Clarke struck out three batters in his start on the mound.
- Pickle tied a career-high four strikeouts in 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Up Next
Lebanon Valley will return to action at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, as the program will host Misericordia for the final matchup of the three-game series.
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