FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College baseball team won a pair of one-run games to sweep a Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth doubleheader from visiting Lebanon Valley. The Blazers held on for a 4-3 win in the opener, then walked off with a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.
Alex Staton had three total hits and stole two bases. Cam Esposito also tallied three hits. Jake Howell picked up a save in the first game, then was credited with the win in the second game.
Hood 4, Lebanon Valley 3
- The Dutchmen scored three runs in the top of the seventh before Howell came on for a two-pitch save. With runners on first and second and two outs, the freshman induced a flyball to right field where Drake Friend made a sliding catch to end the game.
- Hood scored twice in the first inning to take the lead. Esposito led off with a double and scored on a single by Daniel Shepherd. Shepherd came home on a fielder's choice by Friend to make it 2-0.
- The Blazers stretched the lead to three in the second when Esposito and Staton executed a first-and-third double steal. In the fourth, Esposito knocked in Staton with a single to make it 4-0.
- Esposito, Staton and Joe Kroeger had two hits apiece.
- Nate Luscombe picked up his sixth win of the year. He struck out five, walked three and allowed eight hits. The junior held the Dutchmen at bay until their three-run seventh.
- TJ Holdredge had two hits. Pinch-hitter Josh Willey recorded a two-run single in the seventh and Bryan Towers added an RBI single in the inning.
- Brendan Ward pitched a complete game but took the loss.
Hood 3, Lebanon Valley 2
- With the bases loaded an two outs, a Lebanon Valley error allowed the winning run to score.
- The Dutchmen took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI fielder's choice by Marshall Kiessling.
- The Blazers scored twice in the sixth to go ahead. Nathan Kessler doubled and scored on a single by Dylan Johnson. With two outs, Friend singled in Johnson for the one-run lead.
- LVC tied the game in the seventh on an infield single by Josh Herring that scored pinch-runner Nathan Benke.
- Brooks Warrenfeltz singled to lead off the seventh and a base hit by Esposito and a walk to Kessler loaded the bases with two outs. Johnson hit a ground ball on the infield and Lebanon Valley threw the ball away, allowing Warrenfeltz to score.
- Brad Sawyer pitched 6.2 innings and allowed just a hit and three walks, but did not factor in the decision. He struck out five.
- Kessler and Staton doubled for Hood.
- Dylan Stephen took the loss. He allowed three runs, two earned in 6.2 innings.
- Jon Harned had two of the Dutchmen's three hits.
Notes
- The wins improved Hood to 25-5 overall and 10-5 in the MAC Commonwealth. The 10 conference wins are the most in program history.
- Lebanon Valley dropped to 9-15 and 5-10.
Up Next
Hood is right back in action with a doubleheader against Franklin & Marshall on Sunday, April 15 at 12 p.m.