ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — It's only fitting that the Elizabethtown College baseball team's Senior Day ended with a walk-off RBI off the bat of four-year player Ryan Donahue. The senior left fielder knocked a sacrifice fly to center with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the Blue Jays a 4-3 win over the Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen Friday at Kevin Scott Boyd Stadium.

The win, in their final home game this season, means the Blue Jays (16-16, 9-7) need to take one of two from the Flying Dutchmen (18-18, 7-9) in tomorrow's doubleheader to clinch a playoff spot in the Commonwealth Conference.

On Friday, the Jays turned to Matt Ruth to keep them in the game. The sophomore did not disappoint, with a final stat line of 7.2 innings pitched, two runs allowed and three strikeouts on the day. After the Flying Dutchmen tagged Ruth for three hits and run in the opening frame, he was able to put zeroes on the board until the top of the eighth.

The Blue Jays got two runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead. With runners on second and third, Dillon Tagle delivered a double to center, allowing Andrew Gordon and Steve Motika to score.

The score would stay 2-1 for most of the game, as Lebanon Valley starter Caleb Fick went 7.1 innings, yielding seven hits and three runs.

In the top of the eighth, the Flying Dutchmen were able to get a run across on Ruth on two doubles to tie the score at 2-2. Head Coach Cliff Smith turned to freshman Vaclav Hasik, who got out of a jam with an inning-ending strike out.

The Blue Jays were able to chase Fick from the game when they got runners on first and third in the bottom of the eighth. Off new pitcher Jake Becker, Matt Reade singled to right to plate Motika and give E-town a 3-2 lead entering the ninth.

In the ninth, Lebanon Valley's Jordan Higgins hit a leadoff double and was replaced by pinch runner Matt Monahan. Two batters later, Monahan touched home to tie things up at 3-3.

In the end, the Blue Jays used small ball to come away with the win. Kevin Berkheiser got on base on an error to start the rally. When Kyle Gable reached on a fielder's choice, Berkheiser moved over to second, and eventually third on an Gordon sacrifice bunt. Immediately after, Donahue stepped up with his sacrifice fly to allow Berkheiser to beat the throw home for the walk-off 4-3 victory.

Todd Leister, who faced his only batter in the game in the top of the ninth, picked up the win on the mound for the Blue Jays. On the other side, Becker took the loss for LVC.

E-town was outhit on the day by an 11-8 margin, but the Jays were able to get the runs when it mattered with two RBIs on the day from Tagle and one apiece from Donahue and Reade.

The Blue Jays did not commit an error in the contest for the eighth time this season, and the fourth time in their last six games.

Before the game, E-town honored seniors Wayne Leonard, Greg Katz, Anthony Heaps, Donahue and Gordon for their commitment to the baseball program. 

Tomorrow's doubleheader in Annville is set to get underway at noon.