BOX SCORE
Union, NJ (May 12, 2012) - Alvernia (38-10) needed just five innings to defeat Centenary (27-16) by a score of 8-0 to advance in the NCAA Regionals, with the loss the Cyclones from Centenary are eliminated.  The Crusaders plated one in the second for the early lead, and added three in the fourth, and four in the fifth for the eight-run rule, five-inning game.  Freshman phenom Brittanie Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) earned her 23rd win of the season, allowing just four hits through five-innings in the shutout effort.

In the top of the second, freshman Felicia McKenna (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) got things started with a one-out double to left center, and sophomore Amanda Galanti (Red Bank, NJ/Marine Acad. of Sci./Tech.) followed with a triple to left center, past a diving Cyclone center fielder, to plate McKenna.

The Crusaders added some insurance in the top of the fourth with three more runs.  After a groundout, McKenna walked to start the rally, and Galanti was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with one out.  After a strikeout, Katie Manowski (Grasonville, Md./Kent Island) earned a walk to load the bases.  Lead-off batter Miranda Peto (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) legged out an infield single to score a run, and Samantha Penk (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) followed with a single up the middle to score two and put Alvernia up 4-0.

The game was put away in the fifth with four more runs from the Crusaders.  Shannon Grim (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) walked, and Danielle Kitchen (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley) ripped a single through the left side to put runners at first and second with nobody out.  Senior catcher Diane Lightner (Gaithersburg, Md./Acad. of the Holy Cross) took advantage of the creeping-in Cyclone infield and smacked a double past them to plate Grim.  A Cyclone error and a sacrifice fly plated two more for Alvernia, and McKenna scored the eighth run on a wild pitch.

Despite loading the bases in the bottom of the fifth, with their best hitter at the plate, the Cyclones were unable to plate a run as Wolfe secured the five-inning shutout win.

Alvernia advances to face #2 Moravian in another elimination game at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon.

Alvernia 8, Centenary 0 (5 innings)