BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College softball team closed out the 2012 regular season with a Landmark Conference sweep of The Catholic University of America, 8-0 in five innings and 6-2, Saturday at Blue & Grey Field.
With the sweep and Susquehanna University's sweep of The University of Scranton Saturday, the Crusaders earned the top seed in the 2012 Landmark Conference Tournament and will host the two-day tournament on Friday and Saturday, May 4th and 5th. The Greyhounds, who have been the top seed the last four years, will be the two seed in the tournament and play Scranton in the second game on Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Sassafras Field in Selinsgrove. Moravian and Susquehanna are tied at 8-2 in conference play this spring and split their head-to-head match-up; however, the Crusaders earned the top seed by sweeping Scranton, which split with Moravian.
Catholic would get a pair of runners on base in the first two innings of the opener but the Cardinals were unable to score. Moravian would get a runner to third base in the bottom of the second inning but would strand junior third baseman Shannen Mohr.
The Greyhounds would take a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore catcher Cassie Ernst singled with one out and moved to third when Mohr laid down a bunt and was hit in the back of the helmet when running to first base. After the second out of the innings, junior first baseman Amanda Dizinno hit an RBI single through the left side to score Ernst. For Dizinno, it was her 100th career high, becoming the 28th player in school history to reach the milestone. Sophomore outfielder Taylor Mihalik would follow with a two-RBI triple to right center field to score Mohr and Dizinno. Junior shortstop Brook Kowal connected on an RBI double off the fence in dead center field to score Mihalik with the final run of the inning.
Moravian would score the four runs it needed to institute the NCAA eight-run rule in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game with an 8-0, the third straight 8-0, five-inning win for the Greyhounds. Sophomore outfielder Miranda Sergas led off with a single and moved to third when senior pitcher Jenna Carmon reached on an error. Ernst would drive in Sergas with an RBI single while Carmon crossed the plate on an RBI sacrifice line drive by Mohr to right field. Ernst scored on an RBI single from Dizinno while Dizinno scored the final run of the game on an RBI single from Kowal.
The Greyhounds had a 12-1 advantage in hits with Kowal going three-for-three with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Dizinno, Ernst and Mihalik each went two-for-three with Dizinno and Mihalik each adding two RBIs.
Carmon improved to 16-5 in the circle with her seventh shutout of the season for Moravian. The shutout moved Camron into third in school history with 24, and it was her 69th career win. She had a hit and three walks to go with three strikeouts in the game.
Catholic used two pitchers with sophomore Kerri Apicella taking the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts in four-plus innings of action. Sophomore Victoria Capozucca tossed the final two-thirds of an inning, allowing two unearned runs on four hits.
Moravian opened the second game with two runs in the bottom of the first for a 2-0 lead. Freshman outfielder Dior George. Mohr followed with an RBI single to score Ernst.
Catholic would put two runners on base in the top of the second and then load the bases in the third inning but the Cardinals were unable to score in either inning.
The Greyhounds would extend their lead to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. George led off with a double down the left field line, and Sergas walked. After a sacrifice bunt by Carmon, Ernst connected on a two-RBI single past a diving second baseman.
Catholic would finally get on the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the sixth inning on a two-out, two-run homer by junior third baseman Taylor Stockinger to cut the Greyhounds' advantage to 4-2. The home run was the eighth of the season by Stockinger.
Moravian answered right back in the bottom of the sixth inning when Mihalik connected on a solo homer to right center field, her fifth home run of the season and the team's 27th homer of the season breaking the school record for a single season. George singled with an out and would score on a wild pitch for a 6-2 Greyhounds' lead.
The Greyhounds had a 9-8 edge in hits in the second game with George going three-for-four with three runs scored. Ernst was two-for-three with three RBIs. Senior shortstop Megan Rizzi and senior second baseman Sam Daubman were each two-for-three for Catholic.
Carmon became the second player in school history to reach 70 wins in the circle with her 17th win of the season. She allowed two runs on eight hits and four walks to go with five strikeouts.
Sophomore Erin McMakin took the loss for Catholic with four runs on seven hits and three walks to go with four strikeouts in five innings of action. Apicella tossed the final inning with two runs, one earned, on two hits and a walk.
Moravian will return to action on Friday, May 4 in the 2012 Landmark Conference Tournament when the second seeded Greyhounds take on third seed Scranton in the second game of the tournament at 1:00 p.m. in Selinsgrove.
