| Widener advances to the NCAA
Tournament for the seventh time and first since
2010. Widener athletics photo |
Widener captured the Commonwealth Conference title with 3-2
victory over Alvernia in York, PA, getting a walk-off infield
single from senior Michael Riverso (Philadelphia, PA) in the bottom
of the ninth inning.
The hit from Riverso, the conference Player of the Year who also
was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, helped lead
Widener (31-11) to its second Commonwealth Conference title and
eighth league championship when including its six from the Middle
Atlantic Conference.
Sophomore pitcher Joe Santone (Blackwood, NJ) went nine innings to
improve to 6-3 on the year, striking out three batters and allowing
only one earned run for the Pride.
Alvernia (27-13) struck first on the scoreboard with a sacrifice
fly in the third inning that scored Joe IacoBellis from third
base.
Widener came from behind for the third game in a row to score one
run in the fourth and one more in the fifth. Freshman right
fielder Greg McDonough (Ambler, PA) doubled down the left-field
line that scored Riverso from third base. McDonough finished
2-of-4 with an RBI on the day.
Conference Rookie of the Year Michael Elfreth (Washington Twp, NJ)
followed in the fifth inning with an RBI single that flew over top
of the first-base bag. Senior center fielder Sam Christie
(Upper Darby, PA) rounded third and came in to score on the
play.
The Crusaders tied the score in the seventh when Chris Gehris
scored on a throwing error from the Widener infield.
After two scoreless innings, Christie led off the bottom of the
ninth with a single down the left-field line. Following a
groundout, Elfreth and first team all-conference freshman Bob
Barnett (Glenolden, PA) both were hit by a pitch to load the bases
with only one out and send the most dominating hitter in the
conference to the plate. Riverso did not disappoint with an
infield single to bring home Christie and claim the conference
title. Riverso finished 3-of-4 on the day and batted .455
(5-for-11) for the week.
Widener advances to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time and
first since 2010. The regional bracket will be announced on
May 12 on NCAA.com.