Reading, Pa. (March 29, 2017) ­– Alvernia University (14-2-1) scored five runs in the eighth inning to tie Gwynedd Mercy University (9-5-1), and force the Griffins into extra innings, where the game was called for darkness after 10 innings of non-conference baseball action Wednesday afternoon at Angelica Park.
 
The Griffins got on the board early, with Jason Mulvey reaching on a bunt on the first at-bat of the game against Alvernia starting pitcher, Jarrad Graver. Mulvey was driven home two batters later when Ryan Keen drilled the ball down the left field line. A passed ball and sacrifice fly from Dave Tation sent Keen home and put the Griffins up 2-0. Gwynedd Mercy was able to add one more run in the first when sun glare prevented Alvernia left-fielder, Matt Briner, from being able track a high fly ball from Shaughn Wright. Wright reached second on the play and advanced to third on a passed ball. He was able to cross the plate for the third run of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Josh Lopez.
 
The Crusaders were able to get one back in the first when Sides was able to reach first on a single and then capitalize during the next at-bat with a stolen base and an advancement to third on the same play due to a fielding error by the Griffins. Mike Cirrli drove home Sides on an RBI ground-out in the second at-bat of the game.
 
Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the 3^rd, Alvernia was able to tie things up with Connor Boyle and Sides scoring on a Ben Dubas double to right field. Alvernia notched one more in the inning when Matt Briner was able to drive Dubas home on a single to left center field.
 
The Griffin blew the game open in the fifth with a base's loaded walk, followed by a three-run double to center field by Isiah Trimble. Gwynedd Mercy added one more run in the sixth inning with a Wright RBI.
 
Alvenria got one run back in the seventh inning on when Sides crossed the plate for the third time on the day off a sacrifice fly from Matt Briner.
 
Gwynedd-Mercy notched one more run in the eighth inning before Alvernia began its comeback in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Ethan Francis started things off with a single up the right side, and John Catchmark advanced Francis to second with a hit through the left side. Sides then knocked a double to right field, scoring pinch runner Logan Levan and advancing Catchmark to third. Catchmark was able to then score on a third-strike passed ball that allowed Cirilli to reach first. Ben Dubas then sent Sides home on an RBI to right field. Senior Cam Coons capped off the inning with a two-run RBI triple to deep right field that scored Cirilli and Dubas.
 
Sophomore pitcher Zack Landy entered the game for the Crusaders in the top of the ninth, where he struck out three consecutive Griffins. The Crusaders weren't able to make anything happen in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game to extras.
 
Landy again got off to a solid start in the top of the tenth, striking out the first Griffin of the inning and forcing a fly out to center field during the second at bat. Gwynedd Mercy was able to put a man in scoring position after Wright reached on a walk and advanced to third after two stolen bases. However, Landy notched his fifth strike out, getting Derek Whitfield swinging, to end the inning.
 
The game looked to be going to the eleventh; however, it was instead called for darkness after the umpires and head coaches for each team consulted between innings.  
 
This is the first tie for Alvernia since February 27, 2012, when the Crusaders settled for a 7-7 tie with Johns Hopkins after nine innings.
 
Alvernia returns to action on Friday afternoon, with a MAC Commonwealth Conference match-up against the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen in Annville, Pa. 

Alvernia 10, Gwynedd-Mercy 10