PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Arcadia University baseball team split a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader with Lebanon Valley College Saturday at Erny Field, dropping game-one 9-3 before walking off with an 8-7 come-from-behind victory in game-two. The Knights are now 16-10 overall and 11-7 in Commonwealth Conference play, while Lebanon Valley goes to 9-18 overall and 4-12 in conference.

Game One: Lebanon Valley 9, Arcadia 3

The Dutchmen jumped out to early lead 3-0 lead after scoring two in the first inning and adding another in the second, but the Knights responded with two of their own in the bottom of the third. Senior Tom Wagner got the offense going for Arcadia after drawing a two-out walk and was followed up with a single down the right field line from junior Nick Todero. Freshman Nick Cardace then put the Knights on the board after striking a double to right field, scoring both Todero and Wagner to cut the deficit to one.

In the next half, the Dutchman put up five runs on the board to make the score 8-2. Before drawing the bases loaded, Lebanon Valley was able to produce two hits and take advantage of a defensive miscue from the Knights and add a run. Once the bases were loaded, senior Phill Dohner recorded a two-run single to expand the lead for the Dutchmen to four and thanks to an RBI-groundout and an RBI-single, Lebanon Valley made the score 8-2 after the top half of the fourth inning.

The Dutchmen added an insurance run in the sixth inning after consecutive doubles, but Arcadia would get that run back in the following half inning. Junior Connor Arsenault drew a two-out walk and scored from first after a two-out double from classmate Geroge Pagan kept the inning alive but would be thrown out at home in the following at-bat after trying to score from second to end the late rally.

Both teams were held scoreless in the seventh and the Knights could not take advantage of a leadoff double in the bottom half of the frame, which subsequently ended the game.

Junior Michael Nessel (3-3) started for the Knights on the mound and took the loss after throwing 3.2 innings and surrendering eight runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk. Sophomore Michael Houseal picked up his first win of the year for the Dutchmen, improving to 1-2, after tossing six innings and giving up three runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out four.

Eight Knights recorded base hits in the game with Todero having a multi-hit game, going 2-4 with a run scored.

Game Two: Lebanon Valley 7, Arcadia 8

The Knights were able to overcome a three-run deficit after the Dutchmen put up a four spot in the sixth inning as Arcadia responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth and followed up with three runs in the seventh to pull out the walk-off win.

The game went back and forth for the first five innings with Arcadia holding a slim one-run lead after five full innings. Lebanon Valley put the first run on the board in the second inning after an RBI-single followed a one-out double. Arcadia responded in the bottom half after sophomore Justin Chasmar drew a one-out walk and was hit home after a two-out double off of the bat of sophomore Michael Ferrence.

The Knights tacked on two more in the next inning, which started with senior Andonis Yiantsos drawing a one-out walk and after stealing second, was able to score thanks to a throwing error by the catcher. Arcadia drew two more consecutive walks and after a stolen base from Wagner, Cardace plated Wagner by way of a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-1 lead.

Lebanon Valley tied the game after scoring a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings but the Knights retook the lead in the bottom half of the fifth. Yiantsos used his speed to his advantage after tripling to center field to lead off the inning. Todero hit him home by way of a sac fly and give the Knights a 4-3 lead.

The Dutchmen quickly tied the game once again after a leadoff single in the sixth inning was followed up with a double down the left field line to knot the game at four. Lebanon Valley put up three more runs in the inning after a hit batter, a single and then a triple scored the first two, but junior Brett Fundell was able to score from third as well after the ball was thrown away, which gave the Dutchmen a three-run lead.

The Knights got a run back in the bottom of the sixth and held Lebanon Valley scoreless in the top of the seventh to set up the walk-off victory. Todero led the inning off with a double and thanks to a fielding error in the next at-bat, Cardace was able to make it first and third with no outs. Chasmar induced an RBI-groundout and cut the deficit to just one and put the winning run at the plate. Ferrence tied the game at seven after singling to right field and was followed by Pagan drawing a walk to put the winning run just 90 feet away. With sophomore Jordan Draude at third, a wild pitch got by the catcher and Draude safely crossed home plate to give the Knights the 8-7 victory.

Sophomore Jake Lloyd picked up the victory after tossing 1.1 innings of relief for the Knights and being the pitcher of record when Arcadia won the game.  He gave up only one earned run on two hits and recorded a strikeout to improve to 2-1 on the year. For the Dutchmen, senior Patrick Reagan (0-2) suffered the loss after giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk in 0.1 inning of relief in the seventh.

Ferrence finished the game going 2-3 with a walk at the plate with two runs batted in, while Yiantsos went 1-2 with two walks and two runs scored.

The Knights will be back in action tomorrow when they host Neumann University for a non-conference game at Erny Field slated to start at 3:30 p.m.