BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Senior third baseman Rachel DeLucia hit a walk-off RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the 10th inning of the second game to give the Moravian College softball team a 4-3 victory and a split of a Landmark Conference doubleheader with The Catholic University of America at Blue & Grey Field Thursday as the Cardinals won the first game, 9-0.
In the second game, the teams were tied at 2-2 after the regulation seven innings. Both squads scored a run in the eighth before the Greyhounds used the international tiebreaker to their advantage in the 10th by getting a run across the plate with just one out.
The victory in the night cap improved senior pitcher Elizabeth Tillou's record to 8-2 on the year as she allowed three runs on 12 hits and a walk while going the distance.
Catholic started the scoring in the second contest with a run in the top of the first inning as they had in the first game.
This time, the Hounds would answer and tie the game at 1-1 with a tally in the bottom half of the inning. Junior center fielder Dior George led off with a single, and after a sacrifice bunt from freshman left fielder Julie Siragusa, George would race home on an RBI single by Sergas.
The Cardinals threatened in the top of the second by loading the bases but Tillou ended with inning with a comeback ground ball.
Moravian took its first lead of the afternoon in the bottom of third. George led off with a single and scored on another RBI single from senior right fielder Miranda Sergas as the Hounds moved in front, 2-1.
The Greyhounds tried to extend their lead in the fourth by loading the bases but the squad was unable to get another run across the plate.
Catholic used Moravian's inability to score a run to tie the game at 2-2 with a run in the top half of the fifth.
The game remained tied until the Cardinals plated a run in the top of the eighth.
With one out in the bottom half of the eighth frame, senior designated player Cassie Ernst ripped a solo home run down the left field line, just clearing the six-foot fence at Blue & Grey Field. It was her first homer of the season and the 12th of her four-year career.
The teams began using the international tiebreaker in the top of the 10th by conference rules. Catholic's first batter of the inning reached on an error before Tillou and the Greyhounds recorded three outs.
Moravian came to the plate in the 10th with Sergas on second base. Junior first baseman Jenn Dalickas drew a walk while senior catcher Taylor Mihalik put down a sacrifice bunt to set up DeLucia's game-winning hit.
The win was the third for the Hounds since last Saturday in extra-innings and the second in walk-off fashion.
Catholic did had a 12-9 edge in hits in the second game with George going 3-for-4 for the Greyhounds. DeLucia was 3-for-5 while Sergas was 2-for-5.
Moravian had seen its 15-game winning streak end in the opener as the squad lost for the first time in the month of April.
The Cardinals scored a run in the top of the first and would add three runs in the third inning, two more in the fifth and three in the seventh.
The Hounds had six hits in the opener with Sergas going 2-for-3.
The Greyhounds used three pitchers in the first game with sophomore Carsin Conner dropping to 4-2 on the season with the loss. Conner had two strikeouts in 4.1 innings of action. Junior Lizzie Mack pitched 1.2 innings while sophomore Lindsay Sullivan tossed an inning for Moravian.
Moravian is slated to return to action on Friday, April 18 in a non-conference doubleheader at the College of Staten Island beginning at 12:00 p.m.
