Ft. Myers, Fla. (Mar. 11, 2017) - Alvernia University (9-0) closed its spring break trip with a doubleheader sweep of Defiance College (2-7) winning game one 7-1 before a 6-4 win in game two.

Sophomore John Catchmark went six innings in game one allowing just one unearned run on one hit with eight strikeouts.  Ben Dubas was 3-for-3 at the plate in game one with two runs scored and Dillon Dunne and Ethan Francis both drove in two runs apiece.

Sophomore Nicholas Marotta got the start--and the win--in game two going four and a third innings allowing two runs on four hits.  Michael Griffin struck out the side in the seventh for the first save of his career.

Alvernia scored four runs in the second inning of game one to just ahead of the Yellow Jackets who scored their only run of the game in the home half of the sixth.

Alvernia was up 5-0 through four innings in game two before Defiance started to make some noise.  Antonio Baglivo relieved Marotta with one out and two across in the top of the fifth.  He hit the first batter he faced to put runners at first and second, but Alvernia catcher Alex Salesky picked the runner off second and Baglivo got a strikeout to end the threat.

Defiance pushed two more across the plate in the top of the sixth on a pair of base hits and a sacrifice fly.  The Yellow Jackets brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh when Evan Young walked the leadoff man.  Alvernia went to Griffin who erased the threat with three straight strikeouts.

Alvernia returns home to continue the non-conference schedule and improve upon it's 9-0 mark--the best start in team history wince the 1992 team started 13-0.

Alvernia 7, Defiance 1 (Game One)
Alvernia 6, Definace 4 (Game Two)