Reading, Pa. (Apr. 18, 2017) - #12/15 Alvernia University (23-7-2) waited until it was down to its final strike before its first hit if the game then nearly erased a 3-run deficit before stranding the tying run at third base in a 3-2 loss to Immaculata University (17-4) Tuesday afternoon in non-conference baseball at Angelica Park.

Alvernia knocked Immaculata's starter, Eddie Decker, out of the game in the home half of the second inning when Dillon Dunne's attempt for a base hit through the box caromed off the pitchers leg right to the first baseman who made the putout.  Decker had allowed a walk to that point, but not a base hit and Immaculata turned the ball over to Adam Wheatley who was effectively wild walking six batters over five and a third without allowing a hit.

Wheately allowed base runners in every inning from the third to the seventh, and the Crusaders had runners in scoring position in three of the five innings, but couldn't find the big hit against the soft-throwing reliever.

Weatley left after walking the Mike Cirilli to lead off the eighth and the next Immaculata reliever walked the first man he saw to put runners at first and second, but Alvernia batters fouled out, flew out, and struck out to end the inning.

Immaculata scored two runs in the third inning on a pair of hits and one Alvernia error, and added a run in the fifth on two hits.  The Mighty Macs went to the closer for the ninth and he got the first two men out and was up 1-2 on Colin Rieger with two out.  Rieger watched a breaking ball bounce in the dirt for ball two then lined a clean single up the middle to break up the no-hitter.

Nathan Sides walked to bring the tying run to the plate, and pinch hitter Ian Shaffer singled to drive in Rieger.  Sides broke for third on a wild pitch during the at-bat of Ben Dubas and scored when the catcher threw the ball into left field.  Shaffer--the potential tying run--moved up to third on the play, but Dubas fled out to left to end the game.

Nicholas Marotta took the loss allowing three runs on five hits over six innings.

Alvernia continues non-conference play traveling to Moravian on Wednesday.

Immaculata 3, #12/15 Alvernia 2