Reading, Pa. (Mar. 29, 2012) - The Crusaders (16-2, 2-0 Comm.) started their conference play with two wins over visiting Arcadia University (10-8, 0-2 Comm.) this afternoon in Commonwealth Conference action.  Alvernia took game one 9-4 behind 11 hits including a two-run homerun from Samantha Penk (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) and followed that up with a 7-2 win in game two thanks to a six-run third inning.

Alvernia took the 3-0 lead after Penk's homerun in the bottom of the third inning in game one, but the Knights answered right back with a three-run homerun to tie the game at three in the top of the fourth.  They added another in the top of the fifth for the 4-3 lead.  The Crusaders rallied for three in the bottom of the fifth with RBI hits from Shannon Grim (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown, Danielle Kitchen (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley) and Diane Lightner (Gaithersburg, Md./Acad. of the Holy Cross) to take the 6-4 lead.  Another three runs in the bottom of the six gave the Crusaders some insurance and secured the 9-4 win.

Freshman Brittanie Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) went 4 1/3 and Deanna Dungee (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) entered in relief in the top of the fifth inning to shut down the Knights through the seventh and earn her fifth win of the season.

With Wolfe again in the circle to start game two, the Knights struck early with a solo homerun in the top of the first inning.  Alvernia answered back with a run in the bottom of the second to tie the game off a sacrific fly from Katie Manowski (Grasonville, Md./Kent Island).  Arcadia then answered back themselves, taking the 2-1 lead in the third inning after a lead-off double came around to score with two outs.

Down one run headed into the bottom of the third inning the Crusaders rallied for their biggest inning of the day.  Kitchen reached on an error to lead off the inning, and after a strikeout, Felicia McKenna (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) was hit by a pitch and Dungee earned a walk.  With the bases loaded Jacklyn Torres (Colonia, NJ/Colonia ripped a full-count double to the fence to score two, and Manowski followed with a triple to the fence to score two more.  A RBI-single from Miranda Peto (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville), two walks and an RBI-hit from Kitchen plated two more to give Alvernia the 7-2 lead.

Wolfe went the full seven innings allowing just two runs and scattering eight hits for her eighth win of the season.  Peto was 5-for-7 with four RBIs and Manowski was 4-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

Alvernia will host Lycoming as they continue Commonwealth Conference play on Sat. Mar. 31 at 1:00pm.

Alvernia 9, Arcadia 4
Alvernia 7, Arcadia 2