Vero Beach, Fla. (Mar 4, 2010) - Junior outfielder Nole Saylor (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) went 4-for-5 with five RBIs and senior starter Shane Zellers (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) threw seven strong innings, stiking out seven, to lead Alvernia University (5-1) to an 18-3 win over Thiel College Thursday afternoon in non-conference baseball action.

The first five batters in the Alvernia lineup reached on singles to start the game, and the Crusaders put three runs on the board in the first.  They went up 4-0 in the second when senior catcher Steve Bealer (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) doubled home Reid Martin (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) with two out.

Alvernia went scoreless in the third, but double its lead with four runs in the fourth.

Sophomore Chuck Krichling (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington) drew a walk with two out to load the bases and Saylor followed with a triple; then scored on an error for the 8-0 lead.

The Crusaders repeated the effort over the next three innings scoring three in the fifth, one in the sixth, and a second four-spot in the seventh for a 16-0 lead.  Matt Bruno (Norristown, Pa./Methacton) homered for the run in the sixth and Thiel commited three errors in the seventh.  Thiel finished the game with 10 errors.

Thiel scored its first run on an infield single in the eighth.  Alvernia junior Tim Ahlquist (Millville, N.J./Millville) hit a two-run homer in the ninth and Thiel answered it with two in the bottom of the ninth.

Jack Brucker (Dresher, Pa./Montgomery CC) went 2-for-4 with three runs in the leadoff spot.  Krichling and Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./West Chester Henderson) had three hits apiece, and Martin, Bealer, and Bruno all had two hits each.  The Crusaders pounded out 20 hits as a team.

Both teams will be back on the field for a rematch Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Alvernia 18, Thiel 3