ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The Lebanon Valley baseball team forced a winner-take-all game seven with an 8-4 victory over University of Lynchburg but saw their magical run through the NCAA Tournament come to an end with an extremely close 5-3 defeat in the Rocky Mount Regional Championship game at Bauer Field on Sunday afternoon. 

Game One

Andrew Miles gave the Dutchmen (31-16-1) a second inning lead with a one-out home run down the line in left. Lynchburg (40-7) tied things up in the third on a ground out to second with runners on second and third. LVC took the lead for good in the fifth with a big three-run inning. Pete Botbyl singled to right field and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the first baseman as the Hornets tried to pick him off. Nico Santoro drove him home with a double to left. Jace Fetterman was hit by a pitch and then Logan Brewer knocked in Santoro with a single to right. Miles drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right to score Fetterman and give the Dutchmen a 4-1 advantage.

Lynchburg cut into the lead in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff triple and an infield single to shortstop. LVC increased their lead with another three-run inning in the seventh. Botbyl led off the inning with a single into right field. Santoro bunted him over to second with a sacrifice back to the pitcher. After a pitching change, Fetterman drew a walk and then Brewer had an RBI single to center. The Hornets changed pitchers again, but the hits kept coming for the Dutchmen as Miles loaded the bases with a single to left and then Conor Smith drove in two runs with a double off the fence in right. The Dutchmen loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs on singles by Santoro, Fetterman, and Brewer. Smith knocked in a run with a one-out single to center but that was all the runs LVC was able to score. Lynchburg put together a ninth inning rally scoring two runs on three walks, an error, and a sacrifice fly. Hunter Tipton entered the game and got the final three outs to earn the save.

Inside the Box Score

• The Dutchmen won their school record 31st game of the year while advancing to the Regional Championship for the first time in program history.
• LVC became the only team in the tournament to defeat the other three teams in their regional by winning three straight elimination games.
• Jacob Horton pitched amazingly to earn the win on the mound. He struck out four in seven innings of work and scattered five hits.
• Brewer had another huge game with four hits, two RBI, and a run scored.
• Smith knocked in three runs and had three hits.
• Santoro was one of three Dutchmen with two hits. He scored twice and knocked in a run.
• Miles hit his third home run of the year and finished with two hits and two RBI.
• Botbyl scored two runs and had two hits in the leadoff spot.
• The Dutchmen had 15 hits and held Lynchburg to five.

Game Two

Playing their fifth game in three days, LVC (31-17-1) used six different pitchers to hold the Hornets (41-7) to just four hits. In all three games against the sixth-ranked Hornets this weekend the Dutchmen pitchers allowed just 15 total hits in 28 innings. Lynchburg was patient at the plate and scored two runs in the second inning on four walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a sacrifice fly to left. The Dutchmen used a big two-out rally in the fourth to tie the game up. Brewer began the rally with a walk. Miles doubled to left and then Smith hit a triple to right field to clear the bases. 

Lynchburg retook the lead in the sixth with a two-out double to left that scored two runs. LVC responded in the bottom half of the inning as they got one run back. Fetterman singled to right and then Brewer walked. Miles singled to center loading the bases before Mangold came up with a big two-out walk. The Hornets manufactured an insurance run in the seventh following a leadoff single. Lynchburg was able to keep the Dutchmen off the board for the final three innings to claim the regional title. 

Inside the Box Score

• Miles concluded a great weekend with two hits including a double.
• Smith knocked in two runs on his triple.
• Santoro and Fetterman had a hit each.
• The Dutchmen outhit the Hornets 5-4. LVC had more hits than their opponent in all three games against Lynchburg.

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