BOX SCORE

Purchase, N.Y. (April 7, 2010) - Alvernia University (18-5) sent 15 batters to the plate and scored nine times in the first inning, but still needed senior Brian Longo (Uncasville, Conn./Montville) to nail down the save in a 21-17 win over Manhattanville College Wednesday evening in a non-conference baseball game at Manhattanville.

Freshman shortstop Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./West Chester Henderson) walked and doubled in the first and scored twice.  He finished the game with a team best five RBIs.  The Crusaders had only 11 base hits, but benefited from eight Valiant errors.

After taking an 11-0 lead with two runs in the top of the second, Alvernia allowed Manhattanville to get back in the game with seven runs in the bottom of the second.  The first three runs came home on two RBI singles and a bases loaded walk before Chris Nastassi cleared the bases with a grand slam.

Alvernia continued to score getting three runs in the third and five more in the fourth.  The Crusaders started the fourth with two straight hit batters and Eric Domitrovits (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) and Nole Saylor (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) had back-to-back doubles.

Manhattanville tried to keep pace with two in the third and three in the fourth and trailed 19-12 after four innings.

Alvernia went scoreless in the fourth and fifth and Manhattanville crept closer with four runs in those frames to pull withing three at 19-16.  Longo entered with two out in the sixth and retired the only man he faced, then gave up just a run in the seventh to close the save.

Alvernia returns to the conference schedule at Messiah College on Friday.

Alvernia 21, Manhattanville 17