ANNVILLE, Pa. – Conor Smith led off the fifth inning with a home run to begin a big three-run inning for the Lebanon Valley baseball team in an 8-1 victory over visiting Nichols College on Wednesday afternoon at McGill Field.

The Bison (1-8) loaded the bases in the second inning before Tony Bennage entered the game and got out of the jam with a strikeout. The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning when Smith came up and drilled the first pitch of the inning into the LVC (4-8-1) bullpen in right field. Dave Mangold was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a fielding error in the outfield. Logan Fuga drove home Mangold with a single to center and two batters later Andrew Miles made it 3-0 with an infield single on a pop-up into no man's land between the pitcher's mound, first, and second base. Nichols scored their lone run of the game in the seventh on an unearned run.

Mangold led off the bottom half of the inning with a double into right center. Duncan Weir moved him over with a single to center. Mangold scored on a Fuga hard line drive to third that the third baseman managed to keep in the infield, but the shortstop threw the ball into right trying to get Weir out at second base. Nico Santoro singled home Weir with a ball down the right-field line. Luga then scored on a Miles ground out. Santoro scored two plays later as the Bison third baseman's throw to second went wide on an attempted double play. LVC added the final run of the game in the eighth on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Miles to right field.

Inside the Box Score

• The Dutchmen had nine hits with three batters recording multi-hit games.
• Mangold finished 2-3 with two runs scored.
• Weir scored three runs and had two hits.
• Fuga was 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Santoro extended his hitting streak with an RBI single. He also had a walk while scoring a run.
• Miles had three RBI while Smith blasted his first home run of the year and seventh of his career.
• Bennage got the win on the mound throwing 3.1 innings. He struck out six and allowed just one hit while facing 10 batters.
• Malachi Duka allowed an unearned run on one hit and struck out three in two innings.
• Jacob Detwiler pitched the final two innings and struck out three and walked one with no hits allowed.

Up Next

LVC will begin their conference title defense this weekend against Eastern University. The Dutchmen will travel to St. Davids for a 3 p.m. start on Friday before hosting the Eagles on Saturday for a pair of seven-inning contests.

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