Annvile, Pa. (Apr. 11, 2015) - Senior closer Kevin Becker-Menditto earned a pair of saves to move to 11 on the season as Alvernia University (20-8, 11-3) swept a baseball doubleheader at Lebanon Valley College (8-12, 3-7) Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference action at McGill Field.

Sophomore Ryan Sheekey turned over a 3-2 lead to Becker-Menditto with on out in the sixth and the bullpen--namely Louis Marotta and Matt Osgoodby--handed over a 7-5 lead with an inning to go and the senior closer preseved both wins to move to 42 saves for his career, just four short of the Division III career record just set last season by Wheaton (Mass.) closer Ryan Grant.

Alvernia scored a pair of unearned runs in its first at-bat of the day for an early 2-0 lead.  LVC cut that in half with an unearend run in the bottom of the second, but Alvernia freshman Vinny Case chased home an insurance run with an RBI-single to left in the fourth.  His basehit scored Dustin Arnold, also with an unearned run.  The teams combined for three errors in the first game.

LVC's Zac Edwards pulled the Dutchmen within a run with a solo homer in the sixth.  Sheekey hit the next batter and got the first out of the inning on a sacrifice bunt.  He handed the ball to Becker-Menditto who got a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning.  He gave up a pair of singles in the seventh which put the potential tying run at second base with two outs, but ended the game with a grounder to second.

In the second game, it was the Dutchmen who started the scorign with three runs in the home half of the first.  Alvernia responded with three in the top of the second to tie the game at 3-3.  Ethan Francis reached on a fielder's choice that drove in a run and Brok Martin delivered a two-out, two-run double to tie the game.

LVC scored a run in the third to retake the lead, but Alvernia countered with two in the fourth and two more in the fifth for a 7-4 lead.  Martin delivered again with a two-run single up the middle in the fourth, and Cameron Coons and Francis both drew bases-loaded walks to force in runs in the fifth.

Marotta went 2.2 innings in relief allowing a run on two hits and improved to 6-0 on the year with all six wins coming in relief.

Alvernia and LVC will complete the 3-game series with a single game at Alvernia on Monday.  The Crusaders remain a game ahead of Stevenson which swept Arcadia on Saturday.

Alvernia 3, Lebanon Valley 2 (Game One)
Alvernia 7, Lebanon Valley 5 (Game Two)