Ft. Myers, Fla. (Mar. 9, 2017) - On Sunday Alvernia University freshman Jarrad Graver opened his college career striking out the side in the final inning of a lopsided win over Elms College.  On Thursday he was back on the mound throwing six innings allowing a run on five hits with seven strikeouts as the Crusaders (7-0) defeated Bluffton University (5-2) by a 9-2 final at Terry Park.

Alvernia scored the first four runs of the game over four innings before Bluffton got on the board with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.  Alvernia pushed the lead to 5-1 with a single run in the sixth then build a sufficient cusion with four runs in the seventh.

Zack Landy allowed a run on two hits over two innings and Antonio Baglivo finished the game with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth.

Nathan Sides was 4-for-4 with three RBIs at the top of the Alvernia lineup and Dillon Dunne was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.  Sides tripled and scored to lead off the bottom of the first, he singled and scored in the third then drove in runs in three consecutive at-bats in the fourth, sixth, and seventh.

Alvernia wraps up the spring break trip with a doubleheader against Defiance on Friday.

Alvernia 9, Bluffton 2