BOX SCORE | Video Highlights

Boyertown, Pa. (May 2, 2009) - Friday rains pushed back the start of Alvernia University's Freedom Conference Championships opener, and it was well worth the wait after sophomore starter Chuck Nicholas (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) tossed the third no-hitter in school history leading the third-seeded Crusaders to an 11-0 win over #2 Wilkes Saturday afternoon at Bear Stadium.

The offense gave Nicholas more than enough support scoring seven runs in the fifth, six runs coming with two outs.  Freshman DH Eric Domitrovits (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) singled the other way with the bases loaded to plate the first run, and after a pop out, freshman Chuck Krichling (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington) smacked a 3-2 pitch off the fence in rightcenter to clear the bases.

Steve DeBarberie (Drexel Hill, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) plated Krichling with a looper down the right field line and sophomore Chris Stoudt (West Lawn, Pa./Governor Miffliln) launched his first of two homers out to right for a 7-0 lead.

Nicholas allowed just three one-out baserunners all day walking a better in the third and hitting batters in the fifth and seventh.  Outside the one free pass, the 6-1 sophomore showed command of all of his pitches needing just 104 to complete the game.  He struck out the side in the eighth and got the first batter of the ninth for his eighth and final K of the day.  The second out of the ninth was a comebacker to the mound and the last ball floated out to DeBarberie in right emptying the dugout for a pile on the mound.

It is the third no-hitter in Alvernia's history.  The first in the postseason and the first since the late 80s.

Krichling made the first save of the no-hitter at third base flashing the glove on a shorthop shot to end the fourth, and catcher Steve Bealer (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) made a pair of spinning throws on bunts in the fifth and seventh.

Alvernia tacked on a single unearned run in the seventh and finished the scoring on Stoudt's second homer, a 3-run shot in the ninth.  Eight of nine starting batters had a hit for the Crusaders, four of which were multi-hit games led by DeBarberie and Stoudt who had three hits apiece.  Stoudt finished with two runs scored and five RBIs.

Wilkes junior Tom Bucklergave up seven runs through five innings and took the loss (9-4).

Alvernia will face #5 FDU-Florham in the winners bracket final Saturday night 30 minutes following the first losers bracket game between #1 Manhattanville and #2 Wilkes.

#3 Alvernia 11, #2 Wilkes 0