BOX SCORE Annville, Pa. (May 1, 2015) - Alvernia University (18-7-1) fell twice on day one of the Commonwealth Conference tournament in softball action Friday at Lebanon Valley College.
The #5 Crusaders struggled to get the bats going, collecting just nine hits on the day.
In game one, Alvernia faced the #4-seed Lebanon Valley. The Dutchmen got on the board first, taking a 2-0 margin in the bottom of the first. The Crusaders generated some offense in the second as
Mckenzie Miessau gave Alvernia its first hit of the day with a two out single to left.
Amanda Turner followed Miessau with a single to right, giving Alvernia runners on the corners. However, the Crusaders will unable to convert the run.
Alvernia had another scoring opportunity in the fourth as
Aly Shilling led off the inning with a double. She advanced to third on a fielder's choice by
Shannon Grim, but was stranded to end the inning.
LVC collected another run in the fifth, extending its lead 3-0.
The Crusaders had their final scoring opportunity in the sixth, when
Taylor Malinish drove a single to right and made the most of a Dutchman error by advancing to third. Shilling followed Malinish with a walk to give Alvernia runners on the corners, but a line drive double play ended the threat.
After falling 3-0 to Lebanon Valley, the Crusaders faced Stevenson University in an elimination game.
Stevenson scored first in game two, plating two runs in the bottom of the second.
The Crusaders cut the Mustang lead in half in the fourth, using a two out double by
Felicia McKenna to cross
Shannon Grim, who had reached on a walk, and come within one at 2-1.
Stevenson answered in the bottom half of the inning, pushing across three to increase its lead 5-1. The Mustangs tacked on their final run in the sixth, pulling ahead 6-1.
McKenna and Miessau put together back-to-back hits to open the seventh, but Alvernia was unable to score.
With the second loss, Alvernia is eliminated from the Commonwealth Conference tournament.
The Crusaders will wait to see if they receive a bid to the ECAC South tournament, which they won last season. Bids will be announced Monday morning by the ECAC office.
