BOX SCORE  | PHOTOS

Moosic, Pa. (May 15, 2013) – Junior starter Mike Weinhold (Robesonia, Pa./Conrad Weiser) went eight innings and struck out seven and fourth-seeded Alvernia University (34-9) scored six runs in the fourth inning on its way to a 10-5 win over #5 Johns Hopkins (36-9) Wednesday morning in game one of the NCAA Division III Baseball Regional at PNC Field.
 
Weinhold improved to 9-1 on the season and pushed his single-season record for strikeouts to 104.  He opened the day with a swinging strikeout and faced the minimum through the first three innings.  He struck out two in the second inning to reach 100 for the season.
 
The offense gave Weinhold a run in the first inning when Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./West Chester Henderson) ripped a double to left, and scored when Matt Patterson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) delivered an 0-2 single up the middle.
 
They plated two more in the second.  Brian Witkowski (Ewing, N.J./Notre Dame) reached on a bunt single that scored Richie Ricciardi (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan), and Leon Stimpson (Philadelphia, Pa./Malvern Prep) tagged a double down the line to drive in Cody Younker (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley).
 
Hopkins got its first hit and scored its first run in the fourth.  The first two batters reached on bloop singles to the opposite field and Weinhold issued his first walk to load the bases.  Jeff Lynch popped out to second for the first out of the inning then a single and a walk pushed in a pair.
 
Weinhold locked in after the walk and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.
 
Having pulled within a run at 3-2, the Jays didn't get the shutdown inning they needed. 
 
Chris Burns (Cherry Hill, N.J./Holy Cross) started the inning with a single up the middle and Witkowski drew a walk.  Stimpson then ripped a double off the wall to plate both runners.
 
The Crusaders tacked on four more runs in the inning to push their lead to 9-2.
 
Hopkins got back a run in the top of the fifth, but the Crusaders answered with a run an inning later.  Younker singled through the left side with two out and moved up when Burns was hit with a 2-2 pitch.  He came around to score on Witkowski's single to right.
 
Both teams went scoreless in the seventh and eighth and as the Crusaders were taking the field for the top of the ninth, the tarps came out for a short rain delay.
 
When they returned, Alvernia freshman Robert Bertoletti (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) took the mound in his first appearance of the season with a 10-3 lead.  Hopkins started the inning with a sharp single to right then a foul out.  It followed with back-to-back singles and a walk before the Crusaders went to the pen for Commonwealth Pitcher of the Year, Kevin Becker-Menditto (Frederick, Md./Walkersville).  He got an out on one pitch with a sacrifice fly to right then ended the game with a strikeout.
 
Ricciardi and Younker both had 3-hit days and scored twice.  Stimpson went 2-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs.  Ray, Burns, and Witkowski also had two hits apiece.
 
Alvernia improves to 2-3-1 all-time vs Johns Hopkins and 2-1 in regional play.
 
Alvernia advances in the winners bracket and will face the winner of #1 Kean vs #8 PSU-Harrisburg on Thursday.  That game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
 
#4 Alvernia 10, #5 Johns Hopkins 5