BOX SCORE | PHOTOS

Trenton, N.J. (May 19, 2010) – Fifth-seeded Keystone College (30-7) hit 'em where they weren't all morning racking up 18 hits in a 13-3 win over Alvernia University (32-11) in the first game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Wednesday at Waterfront Park.

The Giants got things started immediately when leadoff hitter Esteban Meletiche singled through the middle on an 0-2 pitch. Edwin Padua reached on a bunt base hit, and after a fly ball to center, clean up hitter Yazy Arbello went opposite field for a three-run home run and the early lead.

Keystone tacked on a fourth run with some two-out work in the second. Alvernia senior Shane Zellers (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley) retired the first two batters of the inning, but Meletiche doubled, Padua singled, and Eric Groff delivered an RBI single for a 4-0 lead.

The Giants kept the pedal to the medal in the third doubling their lead to 8-0. Ryan Smyth led off with a homer to left and a single by catcher Angel Fargas ended the day for Zellers who hadn't allowed more than four runs in a start entering the regional.

After two more singles and a pair of fielder's choice grounders that didn't result in outs, the Giants had crossed the plate three more times for an 8-0 lead.

The lead grew to 11-0 before Alvernia plated its first run in the bottom of the eighth.

Brian Witkowski (Ewing, N.J./Notre Dame) and Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./West Chester Henderson) both singled to start the inning, and Witkowski crossed on a sacrifice fly off the bat of junior Nole Saylor (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) with Ray moving to second on the throw home.

Chuck Krichling (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington) was hit by a pitch, one of five Crusaders to get plunked in the game, and he and Ray moved up with one out on a wild pitch, but bother were stranded after a strikeout and fly out.

Both teams scored a pair of runs in the ninth inning for the 13-3 final.

The first seven batters in the Keystone lineup had at least one hit and the top three batters were a combined 9-for-16 with six runs scored and seven RBIs.

Saylor finished 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Crusaders.

Keystone plays on in the winners bracket and will face the winner of the Johns Hopkins, Moravian game Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Alvernia moves to the losers bracket of the double eliminated tournament and will face the loser of Hopkins, Moravian.

#5 Keystone 13, #4 Alvernia 3