Reading, Pa. (Apr. 30, 2016) - Alvernia University (13-23, 5-11) held off a 7th-inning rally to claim a 4-3 victory over Arcadia University (23-17, 7-9) in game one of the MAC Commonwealth softball double header Saturday afternoon at Angelica Park.

Arcadia took game two of the series, 2-1.

In the opener, the Crusaders jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the 2nd. Morgan Petry gave Alvernia its first runner of the inning with a one-out single up the middle. Brittanie Wolfe followed Petry with a single of her own, putting Petry in scoring position for Brianna DePriest, who delivered a two-out knock to center to plate Petry. Emily Carmella then found an opening in the right side, bringing around Wolfe and DePriest. Mckenzie Miessau continued the momentum for the Crusaders, blasting a triple to score Carmella.

Arcadia posted its first scoring threat in the top of the fourth, putting runners on second and third with no outs. The Knights attempted to score on a ground ball to first, but Taylor Malinish fired home to catcher Aly Shilling to nail the runner. Arcadia would plate a run before the end of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center, but Shilling threw out the trail runner trying to advance on the play at home to halt the Knights' offensive inning.

Arcadia found its offense again in the 7th, pushing across a pair of runs. The Knights had the opportunity to tie things up, but centerfielder Morgan Psiuk threw out Arcadia's Sara Boyadjis at home to aid pitcher Wolfe in working out of the inning with the win.

In game two, the Crusaders took to the board early, notching their lone run in the bottom of the first. With Miessau and Carmella on first and second, the Knights miscued on a hit off the bat of Shilling to allow Carmella to score. 

Arcadia knotted the game at one in the top of the second, and took the one-run advantage in the top of the sixth.

Alvernia had the opportunity to plate the equalizer in the seventh as DePriest led off the inning with a double off the fence, but the Crusaders were unable to convert the run. 

Senior Brittanie Wolfe threw all 14 innings on the mound for the Crusaders.