Lancaster Bible 11, Eastern 8

Eastern Lineup
1. Schilling lf, 2. McHale cf, 3. Cottrell 3b, 4. Falco dh, 5. Cruser c, 6. Clemens ss, 7. Paradise 1b, 8. Langlotz rf, 9. Turzani 2b, 10. Creel p

LBC Lineup
1. Brian Coburn ss, 2. Jaden Pinkney cf, 3. Blake Greenly 3b, 4. Tyler Cunningham lf, 5. Ethan Varricchione 2b, 6. James Toney dh, 7. Kaden Hunt rf 1b, 8. Adam Naylor 1b, 9. Josh Noll c, 10. Andrew Workman p  

How It Happened
The Lancaster Bible College baseball used a big second inning to build an early lead and defeat Eastern University by a score of 11-8 on Tuesday, March 8.

Eastern (3-7 Overall, 0-0 MAC) grabbed the lead striking in the top of the first. The Chargers (3-2 Overall, 0-0 United East) answered right back in the bottom of the first inning, starting when Blake Greenly drove a single through the left side. Tyler Cunningham lined a single into left field, putting runners on first and second. Ethan Varricchione then hit a slow rolling ball to third base, beating out the throw. Greenly capitalized on the attempt to get Varricchione at first, hustling around from second to score LBC's first run of the game.

The Chargers offense broke the game open in the bottom of the second inning. Kaden Hunt led off the inning with a single that went off the pitchers' mound and up the middle. Adam Naylor then crushed a double into left center field, putting runners on second and third. Brian Coburn delivered a clutch single, smacking the ball into left field allowing Hunt and Naylor to score. After Jaden Pinkney worked a walk, Coburn stole third base an on a throwing error by the Eagles scored to put the Chargers up 4-1. Later in the inning with runners on second and third, Varricchione hit a single in left field, driving in a pair of runs to extend LBC's advantage to five. James Toney reached base by getting hit by a pitch and both runners advanced due to a balk. Hunt took advantage of his second a bat of the inning, lacing a ball into the right center field gap, driving in a pair of RBIs, giving LBC an 8-1 lead.

Eastern made a push to get back in the game, plating five runs in the top of the fourth inning to close back within two. Cunningham started the Chargers answer in the bottom of the inning, blasting a single up the middle. Varricchione cracked a double into left center, scoring Cunningham. Toney singled through the left side, scoring Varricchione to put the Chargers ahead 10-6.

LBC used their pitching depth to keep Eastern off balance, throwing a different pitcher in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. The four pitchers combined to allow only one hit while striking out four batters along the way. The Chargers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning. With Greenly on second base, Varricchione delivered a single into right center, scoring the run to put LBC ahead 11-6.

Eastern made one final push scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning, but Greenly who moved from third base to the mound halted the rally, securing the 11-8 victory.

Inside the Numbers
- The Chargers' offense was led by Ethan Varricchione who went 4-5 with a double, driving in five RBIs
- Kaden Hunt had a strong outing, going 3-5 with a double, picking up a pair of RBIs
- Brian Coburn went 2-6 adding a pair of RBIs
- James Toney smacked two singles, driving in an RBI
- Blake Greenly scored three runs
- Tyler Cunningham went 2-5 scoring a run
- The Eagles were led by Sean Cottrell who went 3-5 with a homerun

On the Mound
- Andrew Workman picked up the win in his first start of the season, pitching 3.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out three
- Colin Brubaker was the first relief pitcher, allowing five runs, one earned, on four hits
- Jackson York, Owen Shimmel, Trevor High and Brian Coburn each pitched one inning, allowing a combined one hit
- Blake Greenly closed out the victory, allowing two runs on three hits in the final inning
- LBC's pitching staff combined to strikeout 12 Eagles' batters

Who's Next
The baseball team will head south, playing seven games in Florida, starting with the team's matchup with Crown College on Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.

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