The #4-seed Lancaster Bible College Baseball team hosted the United East Second Round of the postseason on Friday afternoon, taking on #5-seed St. Mary's (Md.) on home field in Lancaster, Pa. The Chargers completed a two-game sweep including a 12-11 walk-off win in 10 innings in the first game and a 10-2 victory in game two, improving to 19-16 overall and advancing in the playoffs to the United East Final Four next weekend. The Seahawks finish the season at 10-20-1 overall.
Game 1:
12-11 Win (10 inn.)
How it Happened:
The Seahawks took the early lead in the 1st inning on a two-run home run, but the Chargers had an answer right away in the bottom frame. With two runners on,
Donavan Boles (So.) knocked a two-run single to right field, tying the game up at 2-2. Then,
Tanner Smith (Sr.) came around to score after a dropped 3rd strike by St. Mary's (Md.) to take the lead. The Seahawks tied it right back up on a home run, then added four more in the 2nd for a five-run inning to take a 7-3 advantage. The Chargers got one back as Smith lined a single to right center to drive in a run, but the Seahawks padded their lead again in the 5th inning with four runs to take a commanding 11-4 lead.
Evan Sareyka (Sr.) helped cut into the deficit with a two-RBI double, then in the bottom of the 7th inning the Chargers continued clawing back into the game. Boles got the scoring going on a two-run home run to center field, then two batters later,
Malachi Sloane (Jr.) crushed one to left center for another two-run blast, cutting the St. Mary's (Md.) lead to just one run at 11-10. On the first pitch of the 8th inning,
Dylan Witkowski (Sr.) tied the game at 11-apiece, blasting a solo home run before the defense held in the 9th to force extra innings. After a 1-2-3 inning in the 10th by Sareyka and the LBC defense,
Shane Stephan (Jr.) singled to lead off the inning for Witkowski, calling game on a RBI-double to score the game-winning run and walk it off in 10 innings for the Chargers to take game one after a seven-run comeback.
By the Numbers:
- The Chargers scored 12 runs on 14 hits and 11 RBI with four errors, while the Seahawks had 11 runs on 12 hits and nine RBI with three errors
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Dylan Witkowski led the Chargers with four hits on 4-6 and three runs scored, tying the game in the 8th on a home run and walking it off for LBC on a double in the 10th
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Donavan Boles went 2-5 from the plate with a game-high four RBI
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Evan Sareyka went 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored
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Tanner Smith also had two hits with one RBI
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Caleb Kiraly (Fr.) pitched the middle 2.2 innings for the Chargers with no runs allowed on two hits and one walk with two strikeouts, while
Evan Sareyka (W, 4-1) got the win as he pitched the final 3.0 scoreless innings with just one hit while striking out three
- The Seahawks were led by Layne Lesko with a team-high three hits while three different players had two hits and two RBI for St. Mary's (Md.)
Game 2:
10-2 Win
How it Happened:
The Chargers scored right away with two in the 1st inning as
Evan Sareyka launched a two-run home run for the early LBC lead. The Chargers then doubled their lead in the 2nd with a bunt RBI by
CJ Peterson (So.) on a sacrifice and a RBI-triple by
Dylan Witkowski, making it a 4-0 Chargers advantage. The Seahawks ended the shutout in the 4th with a run, then the Chargers got that run right back in the 5th on a RBI-single by
Malachi Sloane for a 5-1 lead. LBC added on in the 7th as
Donavan Boles hit a single to score Witkowski, then after a sacrifice fly by
Everett Bell (So.),
Logan Grimm (Fr.) knocked a double to left field to score
Tanner Smith and make it 8-1 Chargers. The Seahawks got another across in the 8th, but Lancaster Bible got two more in the same inning with Witkowski launching a two-run blast to left as the Chargers held on to secure a 10-2 win and a two-game sweep over St. Mary's (Md.), advancing to the next round of the playoffs.
By the Numbers:
- The Chargers scored 10 runs on 18 hits and 10 RBI with two errors, while the Seahawks had two runs on nine hits and one RBI with one error
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Dylan Witkowski led the Chargers again with three hits and three RBI with a triple and a two-run home run
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Tanner Smith had a game-high four hits for the Chargers with two runs scored
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Shane Stephan scored three times and added three hits
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Trey Luminella (Fr.) (W, 2-3) got the win for the Chargers, throwing 6.0 innings with just one earned run on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts, while
Trevor Bertsch (Fr.) (S, 1) earned the save, throwing the final 3.0 innings in scoreless fashion with no earned runs on three hits and two strikeouts
- The Seahawks were led by Rhett Fletcher, Aaron Wathen, and Connor Wilkerson with two hits each
Information to Know:
This is the first time that the Chargers have won a playoff series/round in program history and will compete amongst the conference final four for the fifth time and first time since 2023. These wins mark the first playoff victories ever on the Chargers' home field on campus and their first win in the postseason since 2024. Lancaster Bible improves to 9-5 all-time against St. Mary's (Md.) and is now 2-1 against the Seahawks in playoff action. Game one marked the first extra-inning game of the season for the Chargers and the first since April 26, 2025 at Wilson.
Dylan Witkowski is the first Charger ever with a walk-off hit in the playoffs and secured the Chargers' first walk-off victory since February 22, 2025 when
Micah Sloane ('24-'25) hit a double to defeat Geneva (Pa.) in the season opener. The Chargers tied their season-high in home runs in game one with three.
Trevor Bertsch is the fourth different LBC player to record a save this season and is the first Charger in program history with a playoff save.
Up Next:
The Chargers have advanced to the United East Championship Final Four taking place next weekend, a double-elimination tournament beginning on Friday, May 8 as the Chargers seek to make a run at the United East crown.
