BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Seniors first baseman Jenn Dalickas and outfielder Dior George each connected on homers as the Moravian College softball team extended its winning streak to 10 games and opened the 2015 Landmark Conference season with a sweep of Elizabethtown College, 2-0 and 7-0, at Blue & Grey Field Friday.
The Greyhounds, now 10-2 on the season, moved the doubleheader up one day to Friday afternoon to avoid playing in the cold temperatures forecasted for Saturday. The games also marked Moravian's 2015 home opener and the first time the squad had played since it finished a spring break trip to the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida on March 13.
"It was good to get two wins to start the conference season and after a two week layoff, you don't really know what to expect when you get back on the field," commented Head Coach John Byrne. "Pitching is still the key. We need to hit the ball better, which we started showing signs in the second game but we need our offense to start giving our pitchers some support. Pitching and defense are going to keep you in games but you need some offense. It is a good way to start the conference season at 2-0 and we'll see where we can go from here."
Dalickas provided all of the offense in the opening game as she hit her first home run of the season and the 27th of her career, second in school history, in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie. Dalickas' homer was to left center field and came after she had flown out to the fence in right filed in her first at-bat of the game.
The round tripper gave freshman pitcher Josie Novak all the offense she needed to improve to 5-1 in the circle this season with her second career shutout. Novak scattered four hits and walked two batters while striking out four.
Moravian had seven hits in the first contest with junior right fielder Mary Schlosbon going 2-for-2.
The Hounds started the scoring in the second game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. George led off with a single and eventually scored on a bases loaded, RBI ground out by senior left fielder Lizzie Mack.
Moravian would extend the lead to 5-0 with four runs in the bottom of the second. Sophomore third baseman Chrissy Marinaro led off with a single and freshman second baseman Megan Taylor drew a walk after a sacrifice bunt to put two runners. George came up and connected on her team-leading fourth home run of the season to left field. It was the 10th homer of her career, moving George into sole possession of ninth place in school history. Schlosbon would also score in the inning on an RBI single by sophomore designated player Abby Jeffries.
The Hounds finished off the scoring with two runs in the bottom half of the third frame. Taylor walked and George singled with two outs, and both runners scored on an RBI single by Schlosbon.
The Blue & Grey had 11 hits in the nightcap with George and Schlosbon each going 3-for-4. Marinaro was 2-for-3 while Jeffries was 2-for-4.
Freshman hurler Amanda Carisone tossed her fourth shutout of the season and improved to 5- in the circle as she scattered six hits and struck out five batters.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, March 31 in a non-conference doubleheader at Hunter College with first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m. on Randall's Island in New York City.
