Reading, Pa. (Apr. 18, 2015) - Alvernia University (26-8, 15-3) scored a 16-2 win in the opener then needed single runs in the sixth and seventh innings for a doubleheader sweep of Albright College (11-14-1, 7-11) in Commonwealth Conference baseball action at Angelica Park.

The Crusaders are now one win--or one Widener loss--away from clinching the top seed in the Commonwealth Championships which will be played April 30-May 2 at Santander Stadium in York.

Alvernia has a pair of non-conference games this week against Johns Hopkins and Moravian then back to the conference schedule next weekend for a 3-game series with Arcadia.  Widener will face Lebanon Valley College in a rescheduled doubleheader on Sunday and face Messiah for three next weekend.

Albright is eliminated from postseason contention with today's losses and joins LVC and Hood on the outside.  Widener, Arcadia, Stevenson, and Messiah are all alive for the final three spots.  Alvernia has already clinched a berth.

The Crusaders put the merry-go-round in motion in the home half of the third inning of game one.  Chris Burns lifted a sacrifice fly to center for the first run and Cameron Coons followed with a 3-run homer to left.  The hosts added three more runs in the fourth with Richie Ricciardi and Ben Sawyer picking up RBI base hits.

Albright scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but Alvernia doubled its score in the bottom of the inning fueled by a grand slam from Sawyer.  Matt Alpaugh, Jake Rosenberg, and Nick Liaci each drove in runs during the inning.

Matt Backlund was the beneficiary of the runs going six innings and allowing two runs on eight hits.  Robby Buffis pitched a scoreless seventh to finish the game.

In game two, Alvernia got RBIs from Ricciardi in the first and the third then a sac fly from Sawyer in the third for a 3-0 lead.

Albright got on the board with a solo shot from Dylan Boll in the fourth, and took the lead with three runs in the fifth.  After a single and an error put two on, Nathan Fretz tripled to drive in two then scored on a throwing error.

Alvernia loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth trailing 4-3.  Brok Martin hit a grounder to short and the Lions were able to cut down a run at the plate, but Vinny Case worked a full count with the bases loaded then hit an RBI grounder to first to tie the score.

Alvernia went to senior closer Kevin Becker-Menditto for the top of the seventh.  He responded getting a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to give the offense a chance at a walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh.

Sawyer saw three straight balls to open his at-bat with one out.  After a called strike and a foul ball, the senior ripped a full-count offering to center for a triple.  Albright intentionally walked the next two batters to set up forces everywhere and went to Trey Eberly out of the pen.  He uncorked a wild pitch on the first pitch of the at-bat allowing Sawyer to scamper home from third with the winning run.

The Crusaders head to Baltimore on Monday to square off with Hopkins.

Alvernia 16, Albright 2 (Game One)
Alvernia 5, Albright 4 (Game Two)