Grantham, PA – Alvernia University scored multiple runs in the second, fifth, seventh, and eighth innings on Monday to run away from the Falcons and win 10-3. The Crusaders collected seventeen hits on the day and held Messiah to just six hits of their own.

Jon Lapp was roughed up in five innings of work for the Falcons. He allowed eight hits and allowed four earned runs while hitting two batters. Trouble started for Lapp and the Falcons in the second inning when the Crusaders led off the inning with back-to-back singles. A sac bunt followed and was fielded by Lapp but he did not get the force at third, loading the bases. A run-scoring groundout plated a run and an RBI single up the middle later in the inning put Alvernia up 2-0.
 
Lapp got out of the inning without any more trouble and even retired nine of 10 batters from the second through fifth innings. But Alvernia drilled back-to-back RBI hits with two outs in the fifth to double their lead at 4-0.
 
Alvernia blew the game open in the seventh with a two-run single being the big blow to put them up 7-0. They added two more runs in the eighth and another in the ninth to finish with 10 runs.
 
At the plate the Falcons struggled to put together a rally against Alvernia's Benusis. He finished 6.2 innings and allowed just four hits and a single run while striking out three batters. Jeremiah Eaton delivered the Falcons' offensive highlight of the night with a two-run homerun in the ninth inning—his first of the season.
 
Messiah will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday when they host McDaniel College at 3:30 p.m.