BOX SCORE

Owings Mill, Md. (Mar. 15, 2013) - Senior Leon Stimpson (Philadelphia, Pa./Malvern Prep) had three hits and scored a pair of runs, senior Kevin Bailey (Fallston, Md./Fallston) went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, and junior starter Aaron Benusis (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) went seven innings as Alvernia University (8-3, 1-0) opened the Commonwealth Conference baseball schedule with an 8-3 win at Stevenson University (11-4, 0-1) Friday afternoon.

The Crusaders scored in each of the first three innings and capped it with three runs in the sixth while Benusis faced one over the minimum through six and two-thirds innings.  Stimpson doubled and scored in the first and did the same in the third.  Bailey singled and scored in the second and delivered a two-run single in the sixth and scored the Crusaders' final run of the game later in the inning.

Stevenson got to Benusis with two out in the seventh by putting together four straight hits to plate three runs, but the junior lefty ended the frame in style with his sixth strikeout of the day.

After allowing a leadoff single in the bottom of the first, Benusis retired seven straight batters before giving up a one-out single in the third.  Bailey threw out Brad Blum trying to steal second then Benusis set down 12 straight to get into the seventh.

Senior Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./Henderson) drove in Stimpson in both the first and the third with productive outs, and singled and scored in the seventh.

Freshman Louis Marotta (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) made his third appearance of the season giving up one hit in one inning  and closer Kevin Becker-Menditto (Frederick, Md./Walkersville) got in some work throwing a 1-2-3 ninth.

With the win, Alvernia head coach Yogi Lutz improves to 695-319-6 in his 26th season.

Both teams return to Reading for the doubleheader portion of the 3-game series.  It was initially scheduled for Saturday, but a poor forecast has pushed it back to a Sunday start at noon.

Alvernia 8, Stevenson 3