Reading, Pa. (Mar. 30, 2017) - Alvernia University took the nightcap of a non-conference softball doubleheader against Neumann University Thursday afternoon at Angelica Park.

The Crusaders took game two 4-0 in five innings, with the game being called for darkness, after falling in the opener 12-8.

In game two, Alvernia put up a pair of runs in the first. Brianna DePriest led off the bottom half of the frame with a single, and quickly advanced to third on a wild pitch.  The errant pitch proved to be irrelevant however as Emily Carmella plated herself and DePriest on a towering long ball for the 2-0 go ahead.

The Crusaders tacked on another run in the third as Amanda Turner went yard to push the Alvernia career homerun record to 20.

Turner picked up another RBI an inning later, pushing across DePriest with a single to left center.

Riley Shields earned the complete game shutout in the circle, allowing four hits with two Ks.

In game one, the Crusaders hit the board first when Carmella roped her first two-run homer of the day, crossing DePriest who led of the game with triple to right 

Alvernia maintained its 2-0 advantage until the top of the third when the Knights knotted the game at 2.

The Crusaders responded in the bottom half of the inning as DePriest knocked a solo shot to left to regain the 3-2 lead.

Alvernia extended its margin in the fourth, capitalizing on a leadoff double by Taylor Thomas. A follow-up walk by Ana Fouracre and stolen bases by her and pinch-runner Bernadette Carey put runners in scoring position for the Crusaders.

Shields then delivered a sac fly to count Carey, and Morgan Psiuk singled up the middle to bring in Fouracre for a 5-2 advantage. Psiuk and DePriest would give the Crusaders two more runs before the end of the inning on a pair of Knight miscues.

Neumann found a rhythm in the fifth, combining a hitting streak with a duo of hit by pitches and a long ball to pull ahead 12-7.

Alvernia collected an additional run in the sixth on an RBI single by JoAnnah Lim, but were unable to cut the deficit any shorter.

DePriest had a day at the plate for the Crusaders, going a combined 5-for-6 as she hit for the cycle with six runs scored.  Turner was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, and Carmella was 2-for-5 with 3 RBIs. The trio accounted for all four of Alvernia's homeruns. 

The Crusaders hit the field again on Saturday, traveling to Lycoming for a MAC Commonwealth matchup at 1:00 pm.