Baseball Loses Hard-Fought Game to Alvernia, 10-3

(box score)

Widener battled but came up short to Alvernia, 10-3, on Thursday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference play in Chester, PA.

Widener (10-7, 4-3 CC) fought hard against its first-place opponent, but six extra-base hits from Alvernia proved to be the difference in the first of three games between the conference rivals.

Entering the contest, Widener ranked tied for second in the league only one game behind Alvernia.

Alvernia (12-5, 6-1) took an early lead with run one in each of the first two innings. Widener had some early opportunities of its own, but Alvernia's infield was able to make some great plays to keep the Pride off the scoreboard.

In the third inning, the Crusaders increased the lead with three runs on six hits. The lead was then increased to seven runs with two more scores in the fourth inning. Widener's ace pitcher, junior Robert Barth (Norristown, PA) who entered the game with a 4-0 record, struggled in the early going but was still able to strike out two batters in his first loss of the season.

Widener's offense went to work in the fourth inning when junior Michael Rytelewski (Brick, NJ) stepped up and hit a single to deep left field that drove home senior Michael Riverso (Philadelphia, PA) from third and junior Matt Scherer (Havertown, PA) from second. Rytelewski ranks second on the team with 13 RBI.

The Pride added one more in the fifth inning with a RBI single from Riverso that drove home freshman Michael Elfreth (Washington Twp., NJ) from second. Elfreth leads the Pride with 19 runs and Riverso leads the team with 20 RBI.

Freshman hurler Donovan Davis (Wallingford, PA) pitched the final five innings in relief for the Pride. Davis allowed only two earned runs on four hits, and struck out four batters.

Widener will be back in action on Saturday in a doubleheader at Alvernia beginning at noon.

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