Annville, Pa. (March 26, 2023) -  Lebanon Valley College (11-3, 2-0) scored 20 runs across the doubleheader as the Dutchmen swept the series with Alvernia University (7-5, 0-4) on Sunday afternoon in MAC Commonwealth softball action at Lebanon Valley.

In game one of the afternoon doubleheader, Alvernia took an early 1-0 lead, but the Dutchmen scored six unanswered to take a 6-1 win over the Golden Wolves. The Dutchmen then used a big third inning to propel themselves to a 14-5 win in five innings for the series sweep.

After Alexia Fitzgerald led off the game with a walk and went on to steal second, Maggie Loomis drove her in with a double to left field. Alvernia's next three batters were retired to strand Loomis on second.

The Dutchmen took the lead in the bottom half of the opening inning as Lebanon Valley evened it up on an RBI double to right field, and took the 2-1 lead on a single to right.

Alvernia could not get a runner in scoring position in either the top of the second or top of the third, as Lebanon Valley added to its lead in the bottom of the third on an infield sacrifice hit.

Jaclyn Barbera led off the top of the fourth with a single to the right gap. She nearly advanced to third on a single by Julie Burkhardt, but was caught going a base too far as she was picked off trying to take third for the third out of the inning.

The Dutchmen then took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth as they added a run on an RBI single through the right side. 

Alvernia was held to just one hit - a single by Barbera - over the next two innings. Lebanon Valley then added two onto its lead to take a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth.

Alvernia had two on with two outs in the top of the seventh, but the Golden Wolves were unable to convert as the Dutchmen took game one, 6-1.

Barbera led Alvernia in game with two hits, while Loomis had a hit and an RBI. 

In game two of the afternoon, the Dutchmen got on the board in the bottom of the first as Lindsey McCurdy hit a triple and came around to score on an error on the play. Julia Craig, who reached earlier in the inning, also scored for the 2-0 lead.

Alvernia got one back in the top of the second as Payton LaScala hit a triple of her own and then scored on a groundout by Burkhardt. 

The Golden Wolves then evened it up at 2-2 as Brooke Weister led off the inning with a single and Fitzgerald scored Weister on a double to left.

The Dutchmen then put up eight runs on nine hits in the bottom of the third to take a 10-2 lead. Alvernia struggled to get out of the inning as three of the runs were scored with two outs.

The Golden Wolves got one back on a solo homer by Burkhardt to lead off the inning, but the Dutchmen put up four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 14-3 lead.

The Golden Wolves picked up two runs in the top of the fifth on Dutchmen mistakes as Meryn Bellacima scored on a wild pitch and Kalli Bunnnell scored as Devan Hudson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Alvernia could not add on anymore though, as the Dutchmen took the game by run rule, 14-5.

Burkhardt led game two with two RBIs and a hit.

Alvernia is back in action on Wednesday at Immaculata.