BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College softball team saw its 14-game winning streak snapped by rival Muhlenberg College with an 8-4 loss in the opening game of a non-conference doubleheader at Blue & Grey Field Thursday afternoon while the Greyhounds rallied and won the second game 7-3 on a grand slam by senior second baseman Lizzie Mack to split the twinbill.
"The first game, we didn't execute, we made too many errors and got outplayed. They hit the ball well and we didn't compete," commented Head Coach John Byrne. "The second game was better. We got some better pitching, played good defense and actually hit the ball. It was a little bit of a wake up call after that winning streak.
"We hit the ball hard when we had to, and Lizzie stepped up as did a couple of other people," continued Byrne. They pitched around Jenn but this shows that we have more hitters than just one. If was good to see that they came back after that lackluster performance in the first game. We left too many runners on base so we still need people to step up. You can't make the mistakes we did against a good team, which they are, that hit the ball. I asked our team to play hard and compete in the second game and they did so we need to carry that into this weekend's conference games."
In the opener, the Greyhounds had nine hits but also stranded nine runners on base, six of them in scoring position. Senior first baseman Jenn Dalickas was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs in what would be her only two official at-bats of the doubleheader as she was intentionally walked in her other six plate appearances on the afternoon. Sophomore outfielder Julie Siragusa was 2-for-4 in the game with two RBIs as well.
The Mules took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning while the Greyhounds tied the contest at 1-1 in the bottom half of the first frame when Dalickas connected on RBI single up the middle to score senior center fielder Dior George, who had reached on an error to start the inning.
Muhlenberg pulled back in front with two runs in the top of the third inning while Moravian would get one back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Siragusa that scored junior right fielder Mary Schlosbon, who had led off with a double.
The Mules scored twice in the top of the fifth but Moravian once again answered right back with two runs on the bottom of the fifth to pull within 5-4. Dalickas connected on a one-out, solo home run to center field, just her second homer of the season but the 28th of her career, moving within one homer of Janelle Brey's career mark. Siragusa would drive in the other run with an RBI single up the middle after Mack had doubled.
Muhlenberg scored the final three runs in the top of the sixth inning for the victory.
Moravian freshman pitcher Josie Novak had her seven game winning streak snapped as she took the loss in the circle with five strikeouts in five innings of action. Freshman Amanda Carisone tossed the final two innings.
In the second game, the Blue & Grey added another 10 hits but also stranded 10 more runners on base with another six in scoring position. Mack and Schlosbon were both 2-for-3 with Mack driving in five of the seven runs. George was 2-for-4 in the contest and scored twice.
The Mules once again jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Moravian answered in the bottom of the third frame to time the score at 2-2. George and Schlosbon both singled with one out before Dalickas picked up her second intentional walk of the game and fourth of the afternoon to load the bases. Siragusa ripped an RBI single to left field to score George while Schlosbon raced across the plate on a shallow fly ball that the shortstop caught running away from the infield for a sacrifice fly.
The Hounds moved ahead with a run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Schlosbon. Dalickas was once again intentionally walked to load the bases but Moravian couldn't capitalize.
Muhlenberg would tie the contest at 3-3 in the top of the sixth before the Greyhounds broke open the score in the bottom of the inning. George led off with a double to the wall in right center field and Schlobon sacrificed her to second base. After another free pass to Dalickas, her school-record tying fourth base on balls in the game, Siragusa drew a walk to load the bases. Mack drove the first pitch of her at-bat for the left field fence for a grand slam, her first home of the season and third of her career.
Carisone won her eighth straight decision in the circle with six strikeouts in a complete game victory.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, April 11 in a Landmark Conference doubleheader at Susquehanna University starting at 1:00 p.m. in Selinsgrove.
