Leesburg, Florida (March 4, 2024) - After weather delayed the season-opener by a day, Alvernia University (2-1) went 2-1 on Monday on the first official day of games on its spring break trip to the greater Orlando area.

The Golden Wolves dropped their first contest of the day to DeSales University, 5-2. But, Alvernia rebounded and took down Regis College 16-3 in five innings in game two and edged out Johnson and Wales University, 5-4, in its final game of the triple-header.

Game One
Score: DeSales 5, Alvernia 2
Records: Alvernia (0-1), DeSales (3-0)
Hits: Alvernia 4, DeSales 11
Errors: Alvernia1, DeSales 0
WP: Riley Long (1-0), LP: Ashyln Hillanbrand (0-1)

How it Happened

• Alvernia loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first and got started from there. Paige Paciolla walked to drive in Alvernia's first run of the game as Maggie Loomis came home. Julia Burkhardt then came up to the plate with two outs and was also walked to bring in Meryn Bellacima and make it a 2-0 game. DeSales got out of the bases loaded with a strikeout looking, but Alvernia took the 2-0 lead into the second inning.
• The Bulldogs got one back in the top of the second on a throwing error by Alvernia in a first and third situation on a stolen base to make it a 2-1 game.
• The Bulldogs then took the lead, 3-2, on a sacrifice fly to right field and a hard-hit infield single in the top of third.
• Alvernia had the tying run on third with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but an impressive grab by the third basemen on a line drive and a flyout to right ended the Alvernia threat.
• DeSales added two runs in the top of the sixth on three straight extra base hits as the Bulldogs took a 5-2 lead.
• The Bulldogs kept Alvernia from threatening in the seventh as DeSales took the 5-2 win.

Alvernia Offensive Leaders

• Maggie Loomis: 1-for-2, 1 walk, 1 run
• Paige Paciolla: 1-for-1, 1 RBI, 2 walks
• Julie Burkhardt: 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 2 walks

Alvernia Pitching

• Ashlyn Hillanbrand (L): 4.2 IP, 7 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 19 AB
• Kelsey Racine: 0.2 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5 AB
• Natalie Berwick: 1.2 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, 6 AB

Game Two
Score: Alvernia 16, Regis 3 (5 innings)
Records: Alvernia (1-1), Regis (0-3)
Hits: Alvernia 12, Regis 6
Errors: Alvernia 0, Regis 4
WP: Natalie Berwick (1-0), LP: Mya Gaspie (0-1)

How it Happened

• Alvernia got on the board early as Jaclyn Barbera scored Alexia Fitzgerald on a groundout to first for the 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Alvernia tacked onto its lead with Taylor McClain scoring on a passed ball and Tara Tumasz scoring on an error. A Brooke Hauck single to right scored Paige Paciolla following a throwing error by the right fielder. Emily Sano capped off the inning and gave Alvernia a 5-0 lead on a single to right to score Hauck.
• Alvernia added one run to its lead in the top of the second with Taylor McClain scoring on a fielding error during Tara Tumasz's at bat. 
• Regis got a run back in the bottom of the second on a bases loaded sacrifice fly to right field.
• Alvernia kept it rolling in the third inning, starting with a leadoff triple by Hauck to deep left field. Hauck then scored on a single down the left field line by Emily Sano on the following at-bat as Alvernia took the 7-1 lead. The Golden Wolves added two more on a two-run double by McClain, and Fitzgerald scored on a Meryn Bellacima single to make it a 10-1 game. Bellacima then came around to score on a Tumasz groundout to make it 11-1 in favor of Alvernia through three innings
• Regis got two runs back in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly to right and a blooper to shallow left, but Alvernia still led 11-3.
• McClain stayed hot in the top of the fourth and drove in Kalli Bunnell with a triple down the left field line as Alvernia took a 12-3 lead.
• Alvernia made it a ten run game, 13-3, in the top of the fifth as Summer Montgomery scored on a fielder's choice during Hauck's at-bat. A triple by Payton LaScala then scored Bunnell and Hauck to make it a 15-3 game. Lauren Jascewsky then capped off the scoring after reaching on an error to score LaScala. 

Alvernia Offensive Leaders

• Taylor McClain: 3-for-4, 3 runs scored, 3 RBIs, 1 walk
• Emily Sano: 2-for-2, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs,
• Payton LaScale, 2-fro-2,2 runs scored, 2 RBI

Alvernia Pitching

• Natalie Berwick (W): 5 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 19 AB

Game Three
Score: Alvernia 5, Johnson and Wales, 4
Records: Alvernia (2-1), J&W (1-3)
Hits: Alvernia 7, J&W 10
Errors: Alvernia 1, J&W 0
WP: Ashlyn Hillanbrand (1-1) LP: Jillian Reed (0-2)

How it Happened

• Alvernia jumped out to an early 3-0 lead through the top of the first. Emily Sano drove in Alexia Fitzgerald for Alvernia's first run. Paige Paciolla then drove in Sano and Brooke Hauck with a two-out single to left field to give Alvernia the 3-0 lead through the top of the first.
• After neither team was able to get anything going through the second and third innings, J&W got its first base runner of the game in the bottom of the fourth with no outs. The Wildcats then had bases loaded with one out and took advantage. They scored one run on a groundout to third, and then tied it up, 3-3, on a two-run double to left. The Wildcats then took the lead, 4-3, on a blooper to shallow right that fell between Alvernia's right fielder and second basemen. Alvernia got out of the inning on an infield pop-up to short.
• The Wildcats threatened to add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth with two on and two out, but Ashlyn Hillanbrand came into the circle in relief and got out of the jam with a strikeout swinging.
• Alvernia led off the top of the sixth with a triple from Hauck, and Hauck came into tie the game at 4-4 on the next at-bat on a single through the left side by Taylor McClain. Later in the inning with the bases loaded and one out, Tumasz drove in McClain on a single to left field to give Alvernia the 5-4 lead.
• In their half of the sixth, the Wildcats threatened with two on and one out, but Alvernia forced two straight lineouts to shortstop to get out of the inning. Alvernia then retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 5-4 win over the Wildcats.

Alvernia Offensive Leaders

• Brooke Hauck: 2-for-4, 2 runs scored
• Paige Paciolla: 2-for-2, 2 RBIs

Alvernia Pitching

• Maggie Loomis: 4.2 IP, 8 hits, 4 ER, 4 SO, 22 AB
• Ashlyn Hillanbrand (W): 2.1 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 9 AB

Up Next:

• Alvernia will play Calvin University and Penn State Berks tomorrow beginning at 9 AM.