PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Arcadia University baseball team split a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader against Alvernia University Saturday at Erny Field, holding on for a 3-2 win in game-one before falling 9-5 in extra innings in game-two. The Knights record moved to 22-14-1 overall and 13-8 in MAC Commonwealth games, while the Crusaders are now 26-13 overall and 16-4 in conference play.
 
SENIOR DAY: Today was Senior Day for Arcadia, which honored Connor Arsenault, Jason Goldberg, Michael Nessel, George Pagan, Nick Todero and Steven Zellers in a ceremoy prior to game-one. 

GAME ONE: Arcadia 3, Alvernia 2
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Knights got out in front in the bottom of the first as freshman Bryan Gillen reached on an infield single and eventually scored on senior Nick Todero's sacrifice fly, and extended that lead to 3-0 off Todero's two-RBI single through the right side of the infield in the bottom of the sixth. Those two runs proved to be huge as the Crusaders plated two runs in the top of the seventh and final inning for the 3-2 final.
 
ON THE HILL: Freshman Zach Manasek improved to 5-1 for the season after allowing just one hit while fanning three batters over his five innings. Junior Christopher Keeser followed with a scoreless sixth before junior Joseph Warren got the final three outs of the game to pick up his fourth save of the year. Thomas Malik went the distance for Alvernia, dropping to 5-2.
 
ARCADIA AT BAT: The Knights had seven hits in the game, all singles. Junior Justin Chasmar and Draude were both 2 for 3 with a run scored, while Todero was 1 for 2 with three RBI. Gillen was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
 
ALVERNIA AT BAT: The Crusaders were limited to just three hits, with Cameron Coons going 2 for 2 with a run scored and Ian Shaffer going 1 for 3 with an RBI.
 
GAME TWO: Alvernia 9, Arcadia 5 (Eight Innings)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The second game was a back-and-forth affair with multiple ties and lead changes throughout. Alvernia scored twice in the top of the seventh to break a 3-3 tie and go up 5-3, taking the lead on Ben Dubas' RBI-single to right that saw him advance to third with the help of an error on the play. He then scored an insurance run on a squeeze play that saw Ian Shaffer beat out a bunt single. The Knights rallied in the bottom of the frame to tie things up at 5-5. Senior Steven Zellers drove a lead-off single to center and scored on junior Jordan Draude's double down the left field line to pull Arcadia back within one, and Todero drove in Draude with a single to right that tied the game.
 
Prior to Draude's double, senior Connor Arsenault was robbed of a hit by Nathan Sides diving catch of a lined shot up the middle for the first out of the seventh. That play took a run off the board for the Knights, sending the game to the eighth where the Crusaders scored four times with the help of two Arcadia errors to secure the win. The Knights totaled six errors in the game that led to five unearned runs.
 
ON THE HILL: Zach Landy improved to 3-0 after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, getting Alvernia out of trouble in the seventh before holding Arcadia to one hit in the eighth. Junior Christopher Keesser took the loss, falling to 0-1 after allowing four runs (one earned) in his 1.2 innings of work.
 
ARCADIA AT BAT: The Knights totaled 11 hits in the game. Draude was 2 for 3 with a double, two runs scored and another drive in, while Todero was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a runs scored. Senior Michael Nessel was 2 for 3 with a run scored, and freshmen Nick Ponente went 1 for 4 with a double and two RBI.
 
ALVERNIA AT BAT: The Crusaders had 14 hits in the contest. Joe IacoBellis was 3 for 5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Chris Burns went 2 for 5 with two runs scored and another driven in. Dubas finished the game 2 for 4 with three RBI and a run scored.