Friday, April 13, 2007 (Reading, PA) – Alvernia held Eastern scoreless in the first game of this afternoon’s doubleheader to take the first game 6-0, before being shut-out themselves 0-4 and settling for the split with Eastern University. Emily Williams (Minersville, PA/Nativity BVM) pitched a gem, giving up only one hit in the top of the seventh inning, while striking out eight. The second game would be a different story as Eastern threatened in the third and fourth inning, leaving the bases loaded both times, before producing two runs in the fifth inning. They would add on one more in each of the last two innings.
Game one saw junior Jackie Rhoads (Dillsburg, PA/Northern York) go 3-for-4, score two runs and knock in another. Rhoads connected for an RBI double in the first inning to score Janelle Lynch (Macungie, PA/Bradywine Heights) who had reached on a single, and promptly stole second base. Rhoads herself came around to score on an error by the first basemen. The Crusaders would add to their lead in the fifth inning when Hollie Dobson (Tallytown, PA/Pennsbury) lined a single up the middle to score Rhoads who had reached on a single. Senior Alyson McCready (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley) delivered the decisive blow after Dobson’s single, in the form of a three-run blast over the left-field fence.
Alvernia managed only two hits in the nightcap, off the bat of Lynch and Williams. Their best chance to erase their zero on the scoreboard came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Trailing only three to nothing, they managed to load the bases off of two walks and a hit by pitch. Eastern wiggled their way out of the jam with a ground out to their shortstop. A two-run triple down the right field line in the fifth inning is all the offense that Eastern would need, as they held on for the 4-0 victory.
