ITHACA, N.Y. -- The third-seeded Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen (33-12) beat the fifth-seeded King's Lady Monarchs (23-18) 7-2 in Saturday's second game at the NCAA Division III Softball Regional hosted by Ithaca College. Lebanon Valley advances to play Cortland Saturday at 5:15 p.m. in an elimination game. King's has been eliminated from the tournament.
A two-run home run by junior left fielder Katie Freeman sparked a three-run rally in the top of the first. Lebanon Valley scored the game's first run when sophomore second baseman Kerri Datres came home on a passed ball. Freeman, the next batter, hit a 3-2 pitch over the right field fence for her seventh home run of the season.
The Fying Dutchmen scored in each of the last three innings before King's got on the board with two runs in the seventh. Freshman second baseman Kayla Rutkowski walked to lead off the seventh for the Lady Monarchs and freshman Annie Erndl followed with a double to left center. Both runners scored on senior shortstop Meaghan Galvin's double to left.
Erndl finished with two of her team's six hits.
The Flying Dutchmen extended their lead on a fifth-inning sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Meaghan Donaghue. Two runs scored on a dropped pop-up and run-scoring groundout in the seventh brought home Lebanon Valley's final run.
Freshman Steffanie Secola led Lebanon Valley with two hits.
Val Malizza earned the win, raising her record to 17-5. She struck out eight batters, allowing six hits and two walks.
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