BOX SCORE (Game One)
BOX SCORE (Game Two)

Reading, Pa (April 21, 2006) - The Alvernia College Crusaders split with first-place PAC team Arcadia this afternoon, winning 4-2 in the first game, before losing 2-14 in the second game in six innings.

Freshman Emily Williams (Minersville, PA/Nativity BVM) pitched seven solid innings for the complete game victory in the first game.  Williams gave up two earned runs, scattered six hits and struck out nine.  The Alvernia offense was led by junior Suzanne Fox (Glassboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) who was 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI.  Sophomore Jackie Rhoads (Dillsburg, PA/Northern York) added a double and two RBIs for the Crusaders.

Fox kickstarted the offense with a triple down the right field line in the bottom of the first inning, and scored on a shallow sac fly by Rhoads.  Alvernia pushed one more across in the third after Hollie Dobson (Tallytown, PA/Pennsbury) reached on an Arcadia error, advanced on a single by junior Allyson McCready (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley), and scored on a single by Fox.  The Crusaders added two more runs in the fifth on consecutive hits by McCready, Fox, and Rhoads, followed by a sac fly from Williams.

In the second game of the double-header Arcadia jumped out to an early lead on a homerun off the bat of Jenn Compton (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem).  Alvernia quickly answered as Rhoads crushed one over the center field fence.  Arcadia added two more runs on the second, and three more in the third, aided by six walks and one Crusader error. 

Alvernia pushed one more across in the fourth when sophomore Suzanne Higgins (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickan) led off the inning with a double, and eventually scored on a fielder's choice by Fox.  The Knights from Arcadia blew the game open in th sixth inning when they plated eight runs on seven hits.

With the split today Alvernia now stands at 11-7 in the PAC and needs victories in their upcoming PAC games to secure a spot in the PAC playoffs.  They will be action tomorrow versus Cedar Crest College at 1:00 p.m. at Alvernia.

(Check site for game cancellation information due to weather on April 21, 2006)