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Alvernia University Athletics

Andrew_Kirk
Jon King
Andrew Kirk went six and a third Friday against Neumann.

Baseball

Alvernia Eliminated With 5-3 Loss To Neumann

Patterson, Ricciardi Grab Two Hits Apiece

BOX SCORE

Lakewood, N.J. (May 18, 2012) - Fifth-seeded Neumann University (32-14) used a pair of two-run innings for a 5-3 win over #3 Alvernia University (31-14-1) Friday afternoon in an elimination game of the NCAA Lakewood, N.J. Baseball Regional at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Knights advance in the losers bracket for a game against #4 Ramapo.  The winner of that game faces top-seeded Keystone in the losers bracket final with #2 Kean already waiting in the championship round.

Alvernia opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning against its former Pennsylvania Atheltic Conference rival.  Cody Younker (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) led off with a single and moved up on a sacrifice bunt.  He came around to score on Matt Patterson's (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) two-out single for a 1-0 lead.

Neumann took a 2-1 lead with its first two-run inning in the fourth.  They started with three straight singles against Alvernia starter Andrew Kirk (Media, Pa./Penncrest) to tie the score at 1-1 then took the lead on a sacrifice fly.

Alvernia answered that with a two-run inning in the fifth.  Brian Witkowski (Ewing, N.J./Notre Dame) beat out a bunt single with two out and a runner on third to tie the score at 2-2.  He went first to third on a single by Nole Saylor (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) and scored the go-ahead run on a balk.

Neumann put runners on first and third to open the sixth and Kirk appeared set to get out of it with a strikeout and a pop out, but Bill Pace, who was a terror all day with four hits, two runs, and two RBIs, scored on a throwing error after a wild pitch to tie the score at 3-all.

Alvernia had two on in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't score, then Pace knocked in two with a bases-loaded single in the seventh for the 5-3 lead.

Neumann reliver Mike Dicken, entered with one out in the sixth, struck out the side in the seventh and retired the Crusaders again in the eighth and the ninth to nail down the win.

Patterson and Richie Ricciardi (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) both had two-hit games for the Crusaders.

Neumann 5, Alvernia 3
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