Reading, Pa. (Apr. 15, 2018) - Junior Matt Briner drove in three runs and freshman Brian Kane improved to 3-0 as Alvernia University (22-9) defeated Rutgers-Camden (16-10) in a cold drizzle Sunday afternoon in non-conference baseball action at Angelica Park.

Kane threw his second effective outing against an NJAC opponent having bettered The College of New Jersey earlier in the week.  He gave up a crooked number in the first inning of both games before finding his groove.

Sunday he allowed four runs on three hits with an error, but kept the Raptors off the board after that going six innings giving up five hits with four strikeouts.

Briner led the offense with three RBIs all without a base hit.  He grounded out to bring in Alvernia's first run in the fifth then added a pair of sacrifice flies--both on 0-2 pitches--in the sixth and the eighth.

Alvernia had just two base hits against Camden starter Joseph Sponheimer through the first four innings, but he turned the ball over to the bullpen with his pitch count near 100 after Logan Levan served a full-count single to left to put two on with no one out in the bottom of the fifth.

Nathan Sides reached on a fielder's choice and stole second to put runners on second and third for Briner.  He moved both runners on a grounder to second with the infield back and Ben Dubas singled between first and second to score Sides.  Another error and a walk loaded the bases for Alvernia with two out, but Dubas was picked off third to end the inning.

Kane set down the Raptors in order in the top of the sixth and the Golden Wolves took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Alex Salesky drew a walk and moved up on a single from Colin Rieger. Dillon Dunne hit a bouncer to second but the throw pulled the shortstop off the bag and the bases were loaded with no one out.

Levan followed with a comebacker that looked like a sure 123 double play, but the relay from the catcher to first caromed off Levan's helmet allowing Rieger to score and Levan and Dunne to move up to second and third.  Sides followed with a chopper to drawn in shortstop and the throw home was a bit high allowing Dunne to slide under the tag at the plate and tie the game. Briner then lined out to left, but with the left fielder sliding to make the play, Levan was able to tag and score from third.

Nicholas Marotta took over for Kane in the seventh and worked around a one-out hit batter and a stolen base.  He stranded a lead off single in the top of the eighth and Alvernia added three more in the bottom of the eighth.

Michael Griffin pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close it.

Alvernia is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Moravian College for a non-conference game.  The Golden Wolves return to conference action on Friday at Stevenson and will lock up a postseason berth with one more league win.

Alvernia 8, Rutgers-Camden 4