Story Courtesy of Lebanon Valley Athletics

DALLAS, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley softball team will play for a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Title after the Dutchmen took down top-seed and tournament host Misericordia University 11-4 on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field in Dallas to advance to Sunday's Championship round.
 
The Dutchmen (25-15) were led by a historic performance by Holly Grube, as the sophomore had a career-high five hits to break the single-season program record of 70 hits in a season. Nicole Kratz hit two more leadoff home runs to give her three in two games as LVC scored in every inning but the fifth against the Cougars (26-12).
 
Grube led off the game with a single to left center on the second pitch. Megan Heard moved her over to second before Maddy Gronback hit a first-pitch single through the right side to put runners on the corners. Bella Mackison drove in Grube for the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field. Misericordia tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a pair of singles and then an error with one out. Karena Justice got the Dutchmen out of the inning as she made a great diving catch in center field and then threw to first to double off the runner. Kratz blasted the second pitch of the second inning over the wall in left for her second home run of the weekend to put the Dutchmen back ahead 2-1.
 
The Dutchmen added a run in the third on two hits. Grube led off the inning with a perfectly placed bunt down the third base line. She stole second before Heard singled through the left side to put runners at the corners. Heard stole second, and then Gronback drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center. The Cougars had their best inning of the game in the bottom half, scoring two runs to even the score at three. They scored the first run on a leadoff single and then a double to center. Justice then made her second double play of the game as she snagged a fly ball to center field and then doubled off the runner at second. Misericordia drew a walk, then tied the game with a two-out double to left center. LVC made a pitching change as Chrissy Ivers-Schultz relieved Abby Reed and struck out Gianna Foreman looking to end the inning.
 
LVC answered right back as Kratz led off the fourth with a double down the line in left. She advanced to third on a wild pitch before Katie Muller drew a walk. Muller stole second, and Kratz scored as the throw down to second went into center field. Madison Shiffer pinch hit for Justice and reached first on a throwing error. Grube hit a RBI single up the middle to plate Muller before Gronback added to the lead with a big two-RBI double to right center. Ivers shut down the Cougars behind great defense in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff single. Justice continued her spectacular play in center with an excellent over-the-shoulder grab to get the final out on a ball that was headed for the fence.
 
Miley Beachel legged out a single to begin the fifth inning. She stole second but was stranded there as LVC was held without a run for the first time in the game. The Cougars put two runners on in the bottom of the inning before Iver got a huge swinging strikeout to send the game to the sixth. Grube had a one-out double down the right field line for her record-breaking 71st hit of the season. Heard moved her over to third with a single to shortstop and then stole second. Grube scored two batters later as Mackison hit a ball up the middle that was bobbled by the shortstop for an error. The Cougars responded with a one-out home run to left in the bottom of the inning. A single and a double to left center put two runners on with the heart of the Cougar lineup coming up. Grube relieved Ivers in the circle and got out of the inning on a ground ball to third, where Kratz threw out the runner going home, and then a groundout to Kratz.
 
Kratz started the seventh with her second leadoff home run of the game as she knocked a 1-1 pitch over the fence in right center. Muller hit a one-out single to right center, and then Justice singled down the line in left. Grube knocked in one run with a double to left field. Heard gave LVC the 11-4 advantage as Justice scored on a groundout to third. Grube got a quick two outs in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of ground outs to the middle infielder. Misericordia put two runners on with a hit-by-pitch and an error before Nikki Sellers made a great grab at first on a liner to end the game.
 
Inside the Box

• Grube was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored, two runs batted in, and a stolen base. The sophomore has 72 hits on the season, passing Sammy Bost in the school record books. Bost, the program's all-time hit leader, previously held the record of hits in a season with 70 in 2016.
• Grube earned her second save of the year, pitching the final 1.2 innings without a hit.
• Kratz had two home runs and a double. The senior scored three times and made two big assists in the field. All three of her home runs this weekend have been leadoff homers.
• Gronback recorded another multi-hit game with two hits and three RBIs.
• Heard had a pair of hits, knocked in a run, and stole two bases.
• Muller scored two runs on one hit and one walk.
• Justice made six nice plays in the field, recording four putouts and two assists in center. She had one hit and scored twice.
• Ivers earned her first career win with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings of relief
• The Dutchmen had a season-high 15 hits.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will play in the Championship round tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. on Anderson Field. LVC will take on the winner of Saturday afternoon's elimination game between Misericordia and FDU-Florham. The Cougars or Devils would need to defeat the Dutchmen twice on Sunday to win the Championship, while the Dutchmen just need one win for their third consecutive conference title.

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