BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

Reading, Pa. (April 16, 2013) - The Crusaders rallied from a 5-0, first-inning deficit to take game two from Neumann (18-10) by a score of 11-5 to earn the sweep Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action.  Alvernia (28-4) took game one 3-0 behind a strong pitching performance from Deanna Dungee (North Wales, Pa./North Penn).

In the opener, Alvernia went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning.  After a single from Miranda Peto (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) to start the game, a fielder's choice and walk put runners at first and second with one out.  A double steal that forced an error plated Alvernia's first run, and Amanda Galanti (Red Bank. NJ/Marine Acad. Sci./Tech) scored on a hot shot to centerfield from Aly Shilling (Blue Bell, Pa./Christopher Dock) that was scored an error.  Alvernia got one more insurance run in the third inning thanks to an RBI-double from Samantha Penk (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) that scored Peto.

Dungee went seven full innings, allowing just four hits to Neumann's team .382 batting average to record her 16th win of the season and her seventh shutout.

The second game went a little different for Alvernia, as they found themselves down 5-0 after the top of the first inning.  Neumann led off the inning with a walk, a single and a push bunt single to score a run.  An Alvernia error allowed another to sneak across, and a three-run homerun, still with nobody out made it 5-0.  Starter Brittanie Wolfe (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) escaped further damage, allowing just one more single before getting three outs.

The Crusaders went to work in the bottom of the second to score two runs and close the gap.  Shilling connected for a one-out single, and a single plus a Knight error put Rachel Fritz (Kenhorst, Pa./Governor Mifflin) on third and scored Shilling.  After a flyout, a hard hit ball from Felicia McKenna (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) that was mishandled by Neumann's shortstop allowed Fritz to score and make it 5-2.  

Alvernia tied the game at five in the bottom of the third.  After a deep flyout from Peto, Penk singled and prompt;y stole second.  A double from Galanti plated Penk, and a double from Danielle Kitchen (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley) plated Galanti to make it 5-4.  A fielder's choice from Fritz plated Kitchen to tie the game at five.

Alvernia went ahead for good as the exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for the 11-5 lead and eventual win.  Kitchen, Shilling, Fritz, and Katie Manowski (Grasonville, Md./Kent Island) all had RBIs for Alvernia in the fifth inning.

After getting banged around in the first inning, Wolfe retired the next nine batters in a row and allowed just four hits the rest of the way for her 12th win of the season.

Kitchen was 3-for-6 on the day with two runs scored and two RBIs while Galanti was 4-for-6 with three runs and an RBI.

Alvernia will face DeSales, the top team in the Freedom Conference on Thursday at 3pm at home.

Alvernia 3, Neumann 0
Alvernia 11, Neumann 5