Myrtle Beach, SC (March 6, 2023) - Alvernia University (2-0) opened its 2023 campaign in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Monday and the Golden Wolves picked up two wins to open the year.

Alvernia downed Penn State Altoona 9-1 in six innings to open the day. Jacyln Barbera then hits a two-run walkoff homerun in the bottom of the seventh to defeat New Jersey City University, 3-1.

In Alvernia's first game of the day against PSU Altoona (1-2), the Golden Wolves got rolling in the bottom of the first and never looked back. After a hitless inning in the top of the first behind pitcher Maggie Loomis, the Golden Wolves got on the board in the bottom of the first. Alexia Fitzgerald hit a double to lead off the inning, and Barbera drove her home with a double of her own. Paige Paciolla then capped off the inning with an RBI single to drive in Barbera.

After a 3-up, 3-down inning in the top of the second, Alvernia added two more in the bottom of the second. Emily Sano singled to lead off the inning and scored on a Brooke Weister double. Weister then stole third and came around to score on a sacrifice hit by Loomis. 

The Lions got one back in the top of the fourth, but Alvernia tacked on three in the bottom of the fifth. Two runs scored on a single by Devan Hudson, and Emily Sano came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Fitzgerald to put Alvernia up 7-1.

Alvernia then secured the run-rule win in the bottom of the sixth as Weister drove in two on a double to center field to make it a 9-1 final.

Loomis finished with four strikeouts and allowed three hits in six innings of work to pick up the win. Fitzgerald went 3-for-3 to lead Alvernia's offense. 

In game two of the afternoon, Alvernia and the Gothic Knights battled in a defensive duel. Alvernia got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with Paciolla scoring following a single to left field and a defensive blunder by the Gothic Knights. 

NJCU tied it up in the top of the fifth on an RBI double to center field. NJCU threatened to break the tie in the top of the sixth, but Alvernia got out of the threat by forcing a double play. Alvernia also got a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth, but NJCU was also able to get out of the threat. 

The Gothic Knights had bases loaded in the top of the seventh with one out. Alvernia got the out at home on the next at-bat to pick up the second out, and Ashlyn Hilanbrand forced a strikeout to get out of the inning. 

NJCU forced a fly out to lead off the top of the seventh, and Fitzgerald walked to get on base in the second at bat. Fitzgerald then stole second to get in scoring position. Barbera then stepped up to the plate and hit a walkoff homer for the 3-1 win.

Hillanbrand picked up the win in two innings of relief work with two strikeouts.  Natalie Berwick pitched five innings with six strikeouts in the start. Barbera finished with one hit and two RBIs, and Fitzgerald finished with two hits.

Alvernia is back in action tomorrow facing Medaille and Centenary.