ANNVILLE, Pa. – Lebanon Valley College (13-8) scored the game's final four runs to pull out a 7-5 win over visiting Gettysburg College (9-11) in a non-conference baseball matchup Wednesday.
 
The two teams traded blows early in the game with the hosts striking first. Conor Smith singled to lead off the second inning, but following a fly out to center field, Smith was picked off to put two outs on the board. The next batter, Ryan Petrucci, decked a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right field to give Lebanon Valley a 1-0 lead.
 
The Bullets answered in their next at bat as junior Preston Toothman (Orlando, Fla./William R. Boone) led off with an infield single. After a sacrifice and pop up, the inning was extended on an error by the shortstop to set up sophomore Tristan Neels (San Diego, Calif./Francis W. Parker) for an RBI opportunity. The outfielder didn't disappoint, knocking a single to right to bring home Toothman and tie the game.
 
After the Dutchmen stole in front with a run in the fourth inning, Gettysburg picked up two runs to take the lead in the top of the fifth. The Bullets quickly loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, walk, and bunt single. Neels cashed in again with a sacrifice fly and junior Kyle Miller (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) swiped home to give Gettysburg a 3-2 lead.
 
After a wild pitch scored a run for Lebanon Valley in the bottom of the fifth, the Bullets tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth. Three consecutive singles scored the first as Toothman picked up his second RBI of the game. Miller added a sacrifice fly later in the frame to push the lead to 5-3.
 
Gettysburg picked up two outs around a walk to Petrucci in the bottom of the inning. A walk and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases before a single by Nico Santoro brought in two runs to tie the game. The Dutchmen picked up two more walks to score another run and take a 6-5 lead.
 
Petrucci gave his team some insurance with another solo home run in the seventh. Gettysburg put runners on the bases in each of its final two at bats, but was unable to trim the deficit.
 
Neels finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and Toothman went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. Senior Matt Muir (South Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) also posted two hits.
 
Petrucci finished 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and a walk. Santoro went 2-for-4 with a run, walk, and two RBI. Jace Fetterman walked in all four of his plate appearances.
 
Gettysburg opens Centennial Conference play at Muhlenberg College on Saturday, April 2, at noon.