GLENSIDE, Pa., Sunday, April 3, 2011-- A day removed from a split with Elizabethtown College, Arcadia Softball kept things going on Sunday, with a 6-3 win in their opening tilt against Alvernia and a thrilling 6-5 win in the bottom of the eighth in game two. Arcadia is now 12-6 overall and 3-3 within the Commonwealth. Over the weekend junior Kelsey Roberts went 3-0 in her two starts and one-inning appearance in the 6-5 win on Sunday. Roberts is now 7-2 overall and leads the staff with a 2.18 ERA. Another big weekend was had by senior Virginia Buechel who made a statement for an all-conference nod for her dominating play at third base as well as her offensive apptitude when the game is on the line. 

In Sunday's opener, senior Ashley McCarthy's singled to right field allowing Corrin Showalter '13 to score for a 1-0 AU lead. That lead quickly became 3-0 on a two-run double form junior Lindsey Henchinski. The Knights tacked on a run in the third before the Crusaders were finally able to score one in the top of the fourth. A two-run fifth inning for Alvernia made it a 4-3 Knights lead, a little too close for comfort in front of the home crowd at Blankley. Following three straight ground-outs in the top of the seventh for Alvernia, Arcadia came up with good intentions with the heart of their order up to bat, but it didn't start so well.  Henchinski was caught looking at strike three and Erin Wojcieszyn flew out to right field, and with two outs away, all eyes went to sophomore Brandee Zablotsky and she delivered, doubling to center field, Zablotsky was now the insurance run the Knights needed with Buechel up to the plate. With one strike recorded, the senior unleashed a two-run shot to put her team up 6-3 while Roberts held the Crusaders hitless in a 1-2-3 seventh for the victory.

The Knights gave the ball to first-year Jess Wood for the nightcap, who worked the first four innings, allowing two runs on two hits, but it was the Knights who struck first again. Leading 3-0 after two innings played, Alvernia caught up again, with two runs in the third thanks to a two-run homerun from Samantha Penk. Arcadia first-year Heather Buriak relieved Wood in the fifth. The Crusaders tied it up at 3-3 in the top of five on an RBI double. Henchinski was dealt a walk to lead off the bottom of the fifth and advanced to second on an Alvernia pitching error. A single from Zablotsky moved Henchinski to third. Zablotsky would be caught out at second on a fielder's choice from Buechel who reached first. That same play allowed Henchinski to score to break the stalemate as the Knights regained the lead 4-3. After Buechel stole second, Wood ripped a single to right field to score Buechel, a 5-3 lead now for Arcadia. 

The sixth came and went without a difference in the score and with two outs away in the top of the seventh, Arcadia was ready to escape the inning unscathed, until Penk came up to bat. She did it again. Another two-run shot over the center field fence and suddenly Alvernia had tied the game at five. Not able to provide the tie-breaker in the seventh, the Knights went back to Roberts for the top of the eighth, and although she gave up two hits, both singles to put the potential game winning run on base the spark for Arcadia came on the next defensive play. With two outs away, Alvernia pinch runner Alicia Buchman was tagged on a phenominal throw from first-year Amanda Tomaschek from center field to Buechel at third and the Knights warded off the Crusaders with their own chance to win it in the bottom of the eighth. Leading off, Buechel ripped a double to centerfield putting the game winning tally in scoring position, where she didn't wait long.  Batting in the five-hole, Jess Wood connected on her fourth hit of the day, a single to center field, scoring Buechel to give the Knights a 6-5 victory and the series sweep. Wood finished 4-4 with two-RBI in the second game. 

Arcadia looks to a pair of non-conference doubleheaders at Delaware Valley on Tuesday and Swarthmore this Thursday at home before traveling to Albright for Saturday's Commonwealth doubleheader.