Reading, Pa. (Mar. 23, 2015) - Messiah College (3-4, 2-2) scored three runs in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie and held on for a 5-4 win over Alvernia University (8-5, 1-1) Monday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference baseball action at Angelica Park.

Junior starter Matt Backlund took the loss giving up five runs on seven hits with three walks.  Dan George and Ben Dubas had multi-hit games for the Crusaders and Cam Coons clubbed a 2-run, game-tying home run to center in the fourth.  Five different relievers scattered five hits over four innings while the offense attempted the comeback.

Alvernia pulled within two runs at 5-3 in the sixth on a two-out, run-scoring double by Brok Martin, and made it 5-4 in the seventh when Dustin Arnold drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk.  Martin was stranded at second when Joe Iacobellis grounded out to third and the Crusaders left the bases loaded in the seventh when George struck out.

The Crusaders got the potential tying run on in the ninth when Richie Ricciardi walked, but he was picked off by Messiah catcher Jon Mullin for the first out of the inning.  Ben Sawyer flew out to left for the second out of the inning, and after a walk to Chris Burns, Messiah closer Jon Griffitts got Coons on a pop out to short to end the game.

Messiah junior Steven Ridings went eight innings and over 120 pitches to record the win.  He allowed four runs on eight hits with three walks.

The doubleheader portion of the 3-game series, which was originally scheduled to be at Messiah on Tuesday, will be played at Alvernia due to poor field conditions.  Game one will start at noon.

Messiah 5, Alvernia 4