Chester, Pa. (Mar. 29, 2015) - Alvernia University (12-7, 5-2) swept a doubleheader at Widener University (7-7, 3-2) Sunday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference baseball action at Widener.

The Crusaders took the opener 3-2 behind five innings from sophomore starter Ryan Sheekey and a four-out save from senior closer Kevin Becker-Menditto.  They took the rubber match in the three-game series getting three innings of scoreless relief from Louis Marotta, and another save from Becker-Menditto who is up to eight for the season and 39 for his career--seven away from tying the Division III career mark held by Wheaton's (Mass.) Ryan Grant.

Vinny Case reached on a three-base error to lead off the opener and came in to score on a single from Joe Iacobellis.  Case scored the second run of the game in the third ining, and the Crusaders went up 3-0 when Chris Burns singled and scored in the fourth.

Widener manufactured a run in the bottom of the fourth and pulled within a run in the sixth aided by a pair of wild pitches.  Becker-Menditto entered with the potential tying run on second base and ended the sixth with a grounder to second.  He got through the bottom of the seventh in order to earn the save.

Game two remained scoreless into the fifth thanks to some timely defense from the Crusaders.  Widener loaded the bases against Alvernia starter Tim Carfrey in the bottom of the fourth with no on out.  Carfrey got a grounder to third and the Crusaders turned a third to home to first double play to keep the Pride off the board.  Alvernia went to the pen to bring in Marotta who got a grounder to end the inning.

Alvernia broke through in the top of the fifth when Case came up with a clutch run-scoring single on a 1-2 pitch.  He drove in Cameron Coons who singled to start the inning and moved up on a sacrifice bunt.  Ben Sawyer added insurance in the sixth with a leadoff homer.

Widener scored an unearned run against Becker-Menditto in the bottom of the seventh, but the reliever stranded the potential tying run at second on a comebacker.

Alvernia is scheduled to face non-conference opponent Gwynedd-Mercy on Wednesday.

Alvernia 3, Widener 2 (Game One)
Alvernia 2, Widener 1 (Game Two)