BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Mar. 19, 2010) - Senior starter Shane Zellers (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) threw a complete game four-hitter and stuck out 11 to lead Alvernia University (10-2, 1-0) to a 4-1 win over Elizabethtown College (4-5, 0-1) Friday afternoon in the Commonwealth Conference baseball opener at Angelica Park.

Junior Nole Saylor (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) hit a bases-loaded bouncer through the left side in the first inning that drove home two runs, and the Crusaders plated two more in the eighth in support of Zellers.  Etown scored its only run in the third on back-to-back, two-out hits, and had its only other threat with two on and two out in the seventh, but Zellers got out of the inning with a pop fly to second.

Junior designated hitter Reid Martin (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored while Saylor finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Martin singled and stole second with one out in the first.  Senior catcher Steve Bealer (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) walked, and senior Chuck Krichling (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington) was hit by a pitch to loaded the bases.  Saylor hit a bouncing ball between third and short that got through the infield and brought in both Reid and Bealer for a 2-0 lead.

Etown centerfielder Rodney Francis ripped a double to the gap in left center with two out in the third, and beat the throw from Steve DeBarberie (Drexel Hill, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) on Andrew Gordon's single to right.

Martin was hit by a pitch to open the eighth and moved up on Bealer's sacrifice bunt.  Krichling and DeBarberie hit run-scoring doubles to increase the Alvernia lead to 4-1, and Zellers stuck out a pair in the ninth around a ground out to end the game.

Alvernia junior Kelli McIntyre, a recent graduate of Army Individual Training threw out the ceremonial first pitch as part of Armed Forces Day.

Its the second time in his career that Zellers reached double figures in Ks.  He struck out a career high 13 at Misericordia last year.

Alvernia and Etown will complete the 3-game series Saturday at Etown.

Alvernia 4, Elizabethtown 1