WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah Hornets picked up a pair of non-conference wins in a doubleheader sweep of Lebanon Valley College Sunday afternoon at
Kevin Anderson Field. The Hornets won game one by a score of 19-1 behind a stellar pitching performance from
Jacob Bell's 5 innings pitched, giving up four hits, and only one run, striking out five Dutchmen. Offensively, the Hornets exploded with 18 hits in the game.
Frankie Ritter went 4-4, four runs scored, with a walk.
Gavin Horning went 3-3 with three runs scored, and six RBI including a grand slam to dead-center.
Chandler Ballenger continued his hot start to the season by going 3-5 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Pearce Bucher continued his hitting streak to five games with his two hits on the afternoon and three RBI.
Jaime Padilla also went 2-3 with three runs scored and three RBI.
Game 1:
After retiring the first two batters in order, the Dutchmen got a two-out walk but Bell got the final out of the inning to bring the Hornets to the plate. In the home half of the first,
Frankie Ritter singled, followed by a
Gavin Horning single,
Chandler Ballenger singled to load the bases on three straight hits. The first blow of the game came off the bat of
Pearce Bucher who doubled to right center scoring two runs.
Noah Cornwell singled to drive in Bucher pushing the lead to 4-0.
Jaime Padilla then blasted a three-run shot to blow the game wide open at 7-0.
Lebanon Valley got one back in the top of the second, but
Haden Madagan homered to left center to get that run back. In the third, Padilla singled and Ritter doubled before a pitch drilled Horning.
Chandler Ballenger singled through the right side to plate two Hornets.
Pearce Bucher and Madagan each drove in runs as the Hornets took a 12-1 lead into the fourth.
Shenandoah tacked on four more runs in the fourth on
Gavin Horning's grand slam to dead center field.
Brody Pickette picked up a hit in the fifth to continue the rally for the Hornets. Ritter, a fixture on base all game, hit another single before Horning doubled home two more runs. The Hornets picked up an insurance run in the sixth on a pinch-hit home run to right field by
Andrew Falk, a ball that traveled 424 feet over the right field fence.
Jacob Gilbert closed out game one for the Hornets.
Game 2:
In game two, the Hornets exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the first behind
Frankie Ritter getting the party started again, before advancing to second on a fielder's choice from Horning. Then
Chandler Ballenger singled through the left side. Bucher doubled, pushing his hit streak to six games, to score two runs.
Scott Wilson singled to plate Bucher making it 3-0.
Dillon Partin had an infield single to plate Madagan. Ritter walked with the bases loaded, then Horning walked, before Ballenger singled for two more RBI's.
Gavin Horning stole home to make it a 9-0 game before Bucher picked up his second hit of the inning. Madagan singled through the left side to pick up the 10
th Hornet run of the inning.
Lebanon Valley picked up a run in the second on an RBI double. In the bottom of the second, the Hornets were held scoreless for the first time in the afternoon. In the third, Lebanon Valley tacked on two more runs on a home run to cut the lead to 10-3. In the bottom of the third,
Gavin Horning added an insurance run on a wild pitch.
The Hornets continued to pour more on in the sixth when
Frankie Ritter drew another bases-loaded walk before another pitch with the bases-loaded hit Horning.
Chandler Ballenger singled through the right side again plating two runs.
Haden Madagan reached on a fielder's choice but
Gavin Horning was able to score making it 16-4. In the seventh, Ritter doubled to plate
Jeremy Kwolek before Horning scored to plate Ritter making the game 18-4. Lebanon Valley added one more run in the ninth, and
Braden Landis closed out the game in the ninth to secure the 18-6 victory.
Michael Meyers got the start in game two and went 4.1 innings giving up nine hits and four runs.
Ricky Snyder picked up his first win, going 1.2 innings.
Jackson Sherman,
Joey Mitchell, and
Braden Landis each pitched an inning to close out the game.
Up Next:
The Hornets return home for the Mr. V Classic starting on Friday at 11:00 am when Eastern Connecticut State and Susquehanna come to town to take place in the annual weekend.
#GoSUHornets
