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.