NEUMANN BOX SCORE
GWYNEDD-MERCY BOX SCORE
Saturday May 3, 2008 (Dallas, PA) - Alvernia's record-breaking season came to an end today after two losses in the PAC Championship Tournament. In the first game of the day #3 Alvernia fell to #2 Neumann College 8-0 in six innings. In the elimination game the Crusaders fell to #4 Gwynedd-Mercy by a score of 2-1. Alvernia ends the season with a record 31 wins and 11 losses (.738).
The first game of the day saw the third seeded Crusaders match-up with the second seeded Knights from Neumann. After a three-up three-down first inning for the Knights they jumped ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Jennifer Goslin lead off the inning with a single and after a strike-out Danielle Hayes went deep of off Alvernia started
Emily Williams (Minersville, PA/Nativity) to give Neumann the 2-0 lead. They would add one more after a walk and another single.
Neumann starter Angela Sebasto continued to hold the Crusader bats at bay allowing only two hits through the first four innings. The Knights would string together another three hits in the third inning to plate two more runs and chase Williams from the game after they took the 5-0 lead. Relief pitcher
Ashley Leonhard (Bernville, PA/Tulpehocken) was successful in snuffing out the third inning rally and shut down the Knights through the fourth inning.
Goslin would give Neumann the 6-0 lead with a solo homerun in the fifth inning and the Knights would tack on two more in the sixth to end the game at 8-0.
The Crusaders managed only three hits against Neumann and would now have to play in an elimination game against #5 Gwynedd-Mercy College who fell to number one seed Misericordia 8-0.
The Crusaders took the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after
Samantha Geisinger (Thurmont, MD/Catoctin) reached with a double down the left-field line and came around to score on a Gwynedd error. The Griffins from Gwynedd would take the 2-1 lead in the third inning after four straight singles plated both of Gwynedd's runs.
Alvernia would have their chances to tie the game, with perhaps their best chance of the day coming in the fifth inning.
Shannon Higgins (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickan) lead off the inning with a single and reached third base after a passed ball and sacrifice bunt.
Janelle Lynch (Macungie, PA/Brandywine) then slapped a ground ball to third base which skipped off the third basemen's glove, hit the base and would have surely been a hit for the speedy Lynch. Higgins took off for home after the bobble and was easily thrown to end the rally.
The Crusaders had one last chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Higgins lead off with a double and advanced to third with a fielder's choice. With two outs and the Crusader's top hitter
Rhiannon Sorrentino (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) at the plate Gwynedd pitcher Jenna Walsh escaped trouble forcing Sorrentino to fly out to left field and secure the 2-1 win.
Neumann 8, Alvernia 0
Gwynedd-Mercy 2, Alvernia 1