York, Pa. (May 16, 2015) – Second-seeded Alvernia University (35-13) posted three 2-run innings in an 8-1 win over #3 Johns Hopkins Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Division III Baseball Mid-Atlantic Regional at Santander Stadium.
 
Dan George hit a 2-run homer in the fourth, Ben Sawyer and Zach Nadolny drove in runs in the seventh and Cameron Coons and Mike Cunningham had run-scoring singles in the ninth.
 
With the win, the Crusaders moved into the championship series against #4 Salisbury University Saturday afternoon at 3:10 p.m.
 
Kevin Short picked up his first win of the season going five innings and allowing one run on six hits with three walks.  Louis Marotta entered for Short in the sixth after a leadoff walk and went four innings allowing just two hits with a walk.
 
Sawyer led the offense going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs.  Chris Burns, Nadolny, and Coons all had two hits each.
 
Johns Hopkins opened the scoring in the home half of the first.  Brian Lin doubled to left with one out, took third on a wild pitch, and came in to score when Burns' throw sailed into leftfield.
 
Alvernia answered with a single run in the third.  Richie Ricciardi reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and scored on Sawyer's single to center.
 
Coons singled on the first pitch of the fourth and George crushed a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left for a 3-1 lead.  Nadolny delivered a two-out single to right in the fifth scoring Burns for a 4-1 lead.
 
Sawyer tripled in Joe Iacobellis in the seventh and scored on a wild pitch.
 
Coons ripped a 2-out single to right in the ninth to score Sawyer and Cunningham followed with a single through the right side to score Burns and give the Crusaders the 8-1 lead.
 
#2 Alvernia 8, #3 Johns Hopkins 1