BOX SCORE | PHOTOS

Trenton, N.J. (May 20, 2010) – Junior righty Chuck Nicholas (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) threw eight strong innings with 10 strikeouts leading fourth seeded Alvernia University (33-11) to a 7-3 win over #8 Moravian College (26-15) Thursday morning in the first elimination game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Baseball Regional at Waterfront Park.

The Crusaders continued the trend of the tournament putting up runs in the opening frame. Each of the first five games has started with first-inning scoring by the eventual winner.

Freshman Brian Witkowski (Ewing, N.J./Notre Dame) started with a single through the right side and Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./West Chester Henderson) doubled him home. Ray and junior Nole Saylor (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) traded places for the second run of the game, and back-to-back ground outs plated Saylor.

Nicholas stepped to the mound and cruised through the bottom of the first inning striking out the side.

Both teams went in order in the second. Nicholas posted four straight strikeouts to start the game setting down the first batter in the second.

Moravian starter Brendan Close had better success his second time through the Alvernia lineup getting Witkowski, Ray, and Saylor for a scoreless third. Then the Greyhounds offense turned around their luck in the bottom of the third against Nicholas.

After back-to-back singles to open the inning, Nicholas fielded a sacrifice bunt and tried to force the lead runner at third, but his throw was late and the Greyhounds had the bases loaded with no one out.

Nicholas went 0-2 on Rocco Del Priore but plunked him with the next pitch to force in the first run. The Hounds got another when Jon Baltz bounced into a double play, and Kevin O'Keefe tied the score with an RBI single up the middle.

Both starters went back to throwing up zeros from the fourth through the seventh innings with the Crusader defense playing a key part in a scoreless seventh.

Moravian senior Mike Zubia singled to left to start the inning and was sacrificed to second. Matt Pezzato hit a bouncer to second that ate up Tim Ahlquist (Millville, N.J./Millville), but Nicholas, off the mound to cover first, was in the right place at the right time and shoveled the carom to first for the force. Del Priore then drove a ball to center that Saylor snagged with a leaping grab on the dead sprint.

The Crusaders' offense took the cues and got to Close for a run in the eighth. The damage could have been more, but for a pair of failed sacrifice attempts.

Steve DeBarberie (Drexel Hill, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) reached on an error to start the eighth, and after Ahlquist popped up trying to bunt, Witkowski singled through the left side to put runners at first and second.

Ray then singled to left and DeBarberie scored standing as the left fielder's throw was up the first base line. Saylor's bunt attempt was straight back to the pitcher who forced Witkowski at third, and Chuck Krichling (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington) grounded out to end the inning.

Alvernia tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the ninth aided by a Moravian error and a pair of wild pitches.

Senior reliever Austin Rohrbach (Maxatawny, Pa./Kutztown) threw a scoreless ninth in relief of Nicholas who improved to 2-0 in his career in NCAA regional games.

#4 Alvernia 7, #8 Moravian 3