Reading, Pa. (Mar. 31, 2012) - Freshman Shannon Grim (Williamstown, Pa./Williamstown) hit two, two-run homeruns in the second game to help Alvernia (18-2, 4-0 Comm.) rally for the 9-8 win over visiting Lycoming College (5-13, 0-4 Comm.) this afternoon in Commonwealth Conference action.  Alvernia won game one 12-1 in 4.5 innings behind 15 hits and a solid performance in the circle from Brittanie Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove).

Alvernia jumped ahead in game one with two runs in the first and eight in the second for the quick 10-0 lead.  Miranda Peto (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) was 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs in the first two innings alone.  The Crusaders plated two in the first off of two walks, an RBI-single from Deanna Dungee (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) and a fielder's choice from Felicia McKenna (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) to score another.  The second inning saw Alvernia send 11 batters to the plate, connect for nine hits, and was highlighted by a bases-clearing shot up the middle from Danielle Kitchen (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley).  Alvernia added another run in the third with a RBI-double from McKenna, and scored a run in the fourth with an RBI-double from Samantha Penk (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South).  The Warriors managed a run in the top of the fourth but that was all they could muster as Alvernia took advantage of the eight-run rule in 4.5 innings, earning Wolfe her ninth win of the season.

In game two, a first-inning homer from Grim gave Alvernia the 2-0 lead, but the Warriors evened it up right away with two in the top of the second thanks to a two-out, two-RBI double.  Lycoming added another in the third for the 3-2 lead, before Alvernia countered with a run in their half off a fielder's choice from Kitchen to tie the game at three.  The game went back to the Warriors in the top of the fourth as they plated a run off an RBI-single but left the bases loaded.  Alvernia again battled back and struck for four runs to take the 7-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Penk led off the inning with a double to the fence, and Grim followed with her second homerun of the game, a monster shot to dead center to put Alvernia up 5-4.  Kitchen followed with a single, and after a passed ball, came around to score on a double from McKenna.  Dungee followed with another single to score McKenna and put Alvernia up 7-4 heading into the sixth.
 
Lycoming would not go down without a fight, as they plated four runs in the top of the sixth off of five straight singles for the 8-7 lead.  Alvernia went in order in the bottom of the sixth, and starter Dungee, who left the circle in the top of the fourth, was put back in to shut down the Warriors.  Dungee did her job, retiring Lycoming in order in the seventh to set up the Crusader comeback.  Grim led off the inning with walk and Kitchen followed with a double to the fence to put runners on second and third with none out.  McKenne drove the first pitch she saw back up the middle to score both and give Alvernia the 9-8 walk-off win.  Dungee earned the win in game two to improve to 6-1 on the season.

Kitchen and McKenna were both 5-for-7 on the day, Kitchen added four RBIs and three runs scored, while McKenna drove in five and scored two.  Grim was 4-for-5 with four RBIs and a ridiculous seven runs scored through two games.

The Crusaders will travel to Eastern University for a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 pm on Tues. April 3.

Alvernia 12, Lycoming 1 (4.5 innings)
Alvernia 9, Lycoming 8