The fifth-seeded Arcadia University softball team opened the 2014 Commonwealth Conference Championship Tournament with a 5-2 win over fourth-seeded Alvernia, and will next face top-seeded Messiah College later today (Friday) at 2 p.m. at Alvernia.

Freshman Alexa Banks opened the scoring in the game with a solo blast to left in the bottom of the second to give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

The Knights drew even in the top of the third when junior Jessica Shotwell scored on senior Jessica Wood‘s RBI single to center, and Arcadia took the lead for good the following inning when sophomore Erin Wilson‘s infield single scored classmate Alicia McMahon.

The Knights added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth on a string of three consecutive doubles from senior Leanda Helms, Wood and McMahon to open a 4-1 advantage, and added one more run on sophomore Sara Boyadjis‘ RBI single to right that scored Wilson from third to give Arcadia a 5-2 lead.

Alvernia’s second run came in the bottom of the fifth as junior Shannon Grim doubled to center to lead off the inning and later scored on Kuhn’s ground out to shortstop, which made it 4-2 in favor of the Knights through five innings.

Wilson improved to 12-7 on the season after allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in seven innings, and was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. McMahon was 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored, while Wood finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, and RBI and a run scored.

Junior Brittanie Wolfe fell to 10-10 with the loss for Alvernia, allowing four runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings. Grim finished the game 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

The Crusaders will be back on the field today at 4 p.m. against the loser of the game between second-seeded Lebanon Valley College and third-seeded Widener University in an elimination game.