BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Mar. 25, 2009) - Alvernia University (13-7) opened the new field at Angelica Park Wednesday afternoon including a ceremonial first pitch from Hall of Famer Sam Harter, but Marywood University (4-9) spoiled the party with a 4-3 win in non-conference baseball action.

Marywood scored three runs off Alvernia starter Zach Grey (York, Pa./York Catholic) who lasted just two-plus innings.  The Crusaders' offense battled back to knot the game at 3-3, but the Pacers were given the game-winning run on a dropped fly ball in the sixth.

Marywood starter Sam Webster went the distance throwing 180 pitches and keeping the Crusaders guessing on the way to a school-record 16 strikeouts.  Webster allowed eight walks and seven hits, but struck out the side three times and fittingly stranded the potential game-tying run on punchouts in the eighth and ninth innings.

Alvernia entered the game a day after falling six runs shy of its season scoring average at King's and fell five runs short on Wednesday as the bats continued to fall silent in big situations.  The Crusaders had a runner at least to second base in every inning, but pushed runs across only twice in the third and once in the fourth. 

With two out and no one on in the third Alvernia put runners on first and second with a walk and a Marywood error.  Three wild pitches later from Webster and the hosts were within a run as Chris Stoudt (West Lawn, Pa./Governor Mifflin) scored Alvernia's first run in its new park and Reid Martin (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) followed.

Two walks and a single later and the Crusaders had the bases loaded with two out in the third, but Webster wriggled out of the jam on a ground ball to second base.

Alvernia tied the score on three singles and an RBI groundout from Martin in the fourth.

The Crusaders put a runner on third base three times in the last four innings, but struck out four times with a run 90 feet away.

The Crusaders will regroup and host King's College in a very important early-season home conference game on Friday.

Marywood 4, Alvernia 3