CHESTER, Pa. (April 8, 2017) – The Widener University baseball team split with Alvernia on Saturday afternoon with a 5-2 victory in the opening game and a 2-0 loss in the nightcap.
The Crusaders took the lead early in the first inning, but Widener's junior
Mike Garofolo (Pitman, N.J.) quickly tied the score at 1-1 with a single to left field to advance senior
Mike Elfreth (Washington Township, N.J.) home.
After scoreless second and third innings, junior
Kyle Buchman (Orefield, Pa.) made a diving catch deep in left field to make the third out and blank Alvernia for the third frame in a row. Matt Brinner, however, hit a sacrifice fly to right field to advance a runner home and put the visitors ahead 2-1 in the top of the fifth. With one runner on third for the Crusaders, the outfield's defense prevailed again with another diving catch made by
Greg McDonough (Ambler, Pa.) in center field for a third out.
The Pride's offense came alive in the sixth frame as senior
Nick Enos (Williamstown, N.J.) sparked the fire with an RBI double to left field. Nearly hitting a homerun, sophomore
Stephen DeBellis (Marlton, N.J.) doubled to left field advancing two runners home and senior
Justin Healey (Ocean City, N.J.) capped off the scoring with an RBI single to center field to give Widener the 5-2 victory in the first game.
Junior
Josh Lafferty (Pottstown, Pa.) picked up the win on the mound for Widener and improved his record 3-0. He pitched six innings, surrendered six hits, two runs, struck out two and issued three walks. Thomas Malik suffered the loss for Alvernia. He pitched five and one-thirds frames, surrendered nine hits, five runs, struck out one and issued two walks.
Alvernia opened the scoring in the second game with an RBI double to center field from Cameron Coons in the first frame and advanced off of a passed ball in the second to put them ahead 2-0. The Crusaders never looked back as they blanked the Pride and picked up the 2-0 victory.
Dillion Dunne picked up the win for Alvernia. He threw a complete game, surrendered two hits, no runs, struck out six and issued no walks.
James Dougherty suffered the loss. He pitched 2 and one-thirds innings, surrendered five hits, two runs, struck out none and issued three walks.
Widener will return to action on Tuesday, April 11 at 3:00 p.m. when they travel to take on Neumann University.
