SELINSGROVE, Pa. --- The second seeded Moravian College softball team staved off elimination at the 2014 Landmark Conference Tournament hosted by Susquehanna University with an 8-0, six-inning victory over fourth seed Elizabethtown College Saturday morning in the first elimination game of the tournament.
The Greyhounds, now 29-7, will get right back on the field in another elimination game with the host Crusaders at 12:00 p.m. The winner of that contest will need to defeat third seed The Catholic University of America twice to win the Landmark title and earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
The Greyhounds broke a scoreless tie with the third inning with three runs. Junior left fielder Lizzie Mack drove in the first run with an RBI single through the right side before senior designated player Cassie Ernst connected on a two-RBI double to right field.
Moravian added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 6-0 advantage. Senior third baseman Rachel DeLucia ripped a two-RBI double to left center while Mack reached on an RBI fielder's choice to drive in the final run of the inning.
The Greyhounds scored twice with two outs in the sixth to institute the NCAA eight-run rule. Mack singled to left field before Ernst connected on a two-run homer to right center field to end the game. The home run was the second of the season for Ernst.
Moravian had an 11-3 advantage in hits with Mack going 3-for-4. Ernst was 2-for-4 with the two extra-base hits and four RBIs while senior right fielder Miranda Sergas went 2-for-3.
Senior Elizabeth Tillou improved to 9-2 in the circle with her third shutout of the season. Tillou scattered three hits while striking out one batter.
