BOX SCORE (Game One)
BOX SCORE (Game Two)

Reading, Pa. (Apr. 21, 2011) - Albright College (9-21, 3-9) got a deciding home run in the third inning of game one then Alvernia University (17-7, 3-5) came back with a tie-breaking, RBI walk in the seventh inning of game two as the two teams split a Commonwealth Conference softball doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Albright.

Alvernia jumped out to leads of 2-0 and 5-1 in the opener, but Albright tied the score at 5-5 with four runs in the home half of the second then hit a solo homer in the third that stood as the difference in a 6-5 game.

Facing the 5-1 deficit Albright scored four runs on just two hits with three walks and two hit batters.

Alvernia had the potential tying run on base in each of the last four innings, but couldn't come through with the big hit.  Rhiannon Sorrentino (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) finished game one going 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs.  Sam Penk (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) and Katie Manowski (Grasonville, Md./Kent Island) both had two hits.

The second game featured 31 base hits and five errors--all by the Lions--as the Crusaders earned the split with an 11-8 decision.

Alvernia scored three runs in each of the first two innings getting a two-run single from Penk in the second.

Albright closed within a run at 6-5 after scoring two in the fifth, but Penk led off the sixth with a homer and senior Dina Chiappelli (Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg) added an RBI double.  The Crusaders tacked on three runs in the top of the seventh to pull away 11-6 and held on for the 11-8 final.

Penk finished game two 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBIs.  Michelle Hermans (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) had a team-best three hits in five at-bats.

The Crusaders are on the road for Good Friday playing a makeup game at Lycoming.

Albright 6, Alvernia 5 (Game One)
Alvernia 11, Albright 8 (Game Two)