ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley baseball team began their Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth title defense with a huge 17-5 win at Eastern University on Friday afternoon in their first conference game of the year. The game was called after the eighth inning due to darkness.

Shane Stossel gave the Dutchmen (5-8-1, 1-0 MAC Commonwealth) the lead in the second inning as he led off the frame with a no-doubt blast over the fence in left on the second pitch he saw for his 10th career homer. Later in the inning, Justin Ranked hit his first career home run with a two-run shot to left center. LVC scored six runs on six hits in the fourth to extend the lead to 9-0. Ranked knocked in Dave Mangold with the first run of the inning and then scored on a Ryan Murphy single to left. Murphy scored on a Nico Santoro bloop single to right. Andrew Miles drove in Santoro with a double to left. Stossel made it 8-0 with a single to right to score Miles and two batters later, Duncan Weir drew a bases-loaded walk for the sixth run of the inning. 

The lead extended to 12-0 in the fifth. Murphy led off the inning with a walk and then scored on a Santoro double to left. Stossel knocked in Santoro with a single through the right side. Miles scored two batters later on a Weir single to left. LVC scored four more runs in the sixth to take a 16-0 lead. Jace Fetterman started the scoring with an RBI single through the right side. Stossel singled to left to knock in Miles before Conor Smith singled to load the bases. Anthony Giancatarino drew a pinch-hit walk to score Fetterman and then Kenny Palmieri scored on an error by the shortstop. Eastern scored a run in the bottom of the sixth and then two more in the seventh to cut the lead to 16-3. Jared Copeland singled home a run in the eighth for the Dutchmen before the Eagles plated two runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Inside the Box Score

• Stossel had a career-high 4-4 day at the plate with four RBI. He was a triple shy of the cycle and drew one walk.
• Ranker hit his first career home run and had a career day with two hits, three RBI, and two runs scored.
• Santoro had two hits, two RBI, and scored three runs.
• Miles also had two hits and scored three runs.
• The Dutchmen scored a season-high 17 runs on a season-high 17 hits and a season-high 12 walks.
• Jacob Horton struck out five and walked four in four scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits while facing 18 batters.
• Tommy Moore Jr. struck out eight in the final four innings on the mound.

Up Next

The Dutchmen will finish the weekend series against Eastern on Saturday afternoon at McGill Field with a pair of seven inning contests. Game one will begin at 12 p.m. with game two to follow.

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