Reading, Pa. (Mar. 28, 2013) - Junior Chris Gehris (Sinking Spring, Pa./Holy Name) drove in four runs and Aaron Benusis (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) went six innings for the win as Alvernia University (13-6, 5-2) defeated Widener University (8-10, 4-3) by a 6-4 score Thursday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference baseball action at Angelica Park giving Alvernia head coach Yogi Lutz the 700th win of his career.
Lutz--now in his 27th season at Alvernia--earned his first win in a doubleheader split against Lebanon Valley on March 21, 1987. He ranks 12th in NCAA Division III among active coaches in wins and is the 23rd coach in the division to reach 700 career victories.
Lutz has put together 10 seasons with 30 or more wins. His 2005 squad, which was led by current New York Mets Anthony Recker and Zach Lutz (Yogi's son), put together a 41-6 season setting the school record for wins in a season. Under Lutz, the Crusaders have won nine conference titles, two ECAC crowns, and have made nine NCAA appearances including a run of four straight entering the 2013 campaign.
On Thursday the Crusaders got to work on #700 early. Leadoff hitter Leon Stimpson (Philadelphia, Pa./Malvern Prep) singled and stole second in the first. He scored on a single by Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./Henderson) and later in the inning Gehris knocked in his first run of the day.
The Pride cut the Crusaders' lead in half in the top of the second inning without a hit. Marc Noyalis was hit by Benusis on an 0-1 pitch and moved up to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on a fly ball to right and scored on a groundout.
The Crusaders got the run back in the third when Matt Patterson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) tripled with one out and came in on a Gehris single up the middle, and put two on the board in the fifth aided by three errors from the Pride.
Benusis's day was done after giving up a single to start the seventh and reliever Cody Smith (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) gave up an RBI double to the first batter he saw. Widener brought that runner in with back-to-back groundouts to pull within a run at 5-4, but Alvernia pushed it back to a 2-run cushion when Ray scored his second run of the day on a Gehris fielder's choice in the home half of the inning.
Lutz turned the ball over to closer Kevin Becker-Menditto (Walkersville, Md./Fallston) in the top of the eighth looking for a six-out save. He got the Pride in order in the eighth then erased a leadoff single with a ground ball double play in the ninth and ended the game with the tying run at the plate on a grounder back to the box.
Stimpson, Patterson, and Gehris each had 2-hit games. Benusis gave up three runs (all earned) on seven hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Alvernia and Widener will continue the 3-game series Saturday in Chester.
Alvernia 6, Widener 4
| Win # | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 100 | May 4, 1991 | PSU-Capitol | 25-2 |
| 200 | Mar. 25, 1995 | Albright | 13-4 |
| 300 | Mar. 30, 2000 | Eastern | 4-2 |
| 400 | May 3, 2003 | Gwynedd-Mercy | 19-18 |
| 500 | Mar. 4, 2007 | F&M | 13-3 |
| 600 | Apr. 1, 2010 | Albright | 3-1 |
| 700 | Mar. 28, 2013 | Widener | 6-4 |
Lutz has put together 10 seasons with 30 or more wins. His 2005 squad, which was led by current New York Mets Anthony Recker and Zach Lutz (Yogi's son), put together a 41-6 season setting the school record for wins in a season. Under Lutz, the Crusaders have won nine conference titles, two ECAC crowns, and have made nine NCAA appearances including a run of four straight entering the 2013 campaign.
On Thursday the Crusaders got to work on #700 early. Leadoff hitter Leon Stimpson (Philadelphia, Pa./Malvern Prep) singled and stole second in the first. He scored on a single by Chris Ray (Exton, Pa./Henderson) and later in the inning Gehris knocked in his first run of the day.
The Pride cut the Crusaders' lead in half in the top of the second inning without a hit. Marc Noyalis was hit by Benusis on an 0-1 pitch and moved up to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on a fly ball to right and scored on a groundout.
The Crusaders got the run back in the third when Matt Patterson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) tripled with one out and came in on a Gehris single up the middle, and put two on the board in the fifth aided by three errors from the Pride.
Benusis's day was done after giving up a single to start the seventh and reliever Cody Smith (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) gave up an RBI double to the first batter he saw. Widener brought that runner in with back-to-back groundouts to pull within a run at 5-4, but Alvernia pushed it back to a 2-run cushion when Ray scored his second run of the day on a Gehris fielder's choice in the home half of the inning.
Lutz turned the ball over to closer Kevin Becker-Menditto (Walkersville, Md./Fallston) in the top of the eighth looking for a six-out save. He got the Pride in order in the eighth then erased a leadoff single with a ground ball double play in the ninth and ended the game with the tying run at the plate on a grounder back to the box.
Stimpson, Patterson, and Gehris each had 2-hit games. Benusis gave up three runs (all earned) on seven hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Alvernia and Widener will continue the 3-game series Saturday in Chester.
Alvernia 6, Widener 4