BOX SCORE

Grantham, Pa. (Mar. 23, 2012) - Alvernia University (11-6-1, 3-1) capitalized on four Messiah College (5-12, 1-3) errors in support of senior starter Andrew Kirk (Media, Pa./Penncrest) who went 6.1 innings and improved to 2-0 on the season with an 8-1 win Friday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference baseball action at Messiah.

The Crusaders put runners on in eight of nine innings and got on the board in the fourth after an error by the Messiah shortstop extended the inning.  Freshman Richie Riccardi (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) walked to open the inning and came around to scored on a single by Cody Younker (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley).

Riccardi reached on an error and scored as part of a two-run sixth then the Crusaders plated three in the seventh for a 6-0 lead.  Leon Stimpson (Philadelphia, Pa./Malvern Prep) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning then after a sacrifice bunt the Crusaders had four straight batters reach on three singles and an error that pushed the lead to six.

Kirk worked into the bottom of the seventh giving up a run on three hits with four strikeouts.  He hit the leadoff man in the seventh then gave up a single to put two on with no one out.  He left after recording his fourth strikeout of the game.  Junior reliever Cody Smith (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) gave up back-to-back, two-out singles to load the bases but got out of a big spot with a lineout to second.

Anthony Gambino (Allentown, Pa./Allentown) closed out the last two innings for the Crusaders who will host Messiah Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon.

Younker and Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./Henderson) both went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI.  Three other batters had two hits apiece as the Crusaders racked up 15 base hits marking the fourth time in the last six games they've had double digits hits.

Alvernia 8, Messiah 1