CLERMONT, Fla. --- The No. 19 ranked Moravian College softball team ran its record to 6-0 to begin the 2016 season with a pair of wins at the Spring Games being played at the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida as the Greyhounds rallied to defeat Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 10-8, before shutting out No. 11 Alfred (N.Y.) University, 3-0, Wednesday.
Moravian had 11 hits against WPI with freshman shortstop Kaela Kane, freshman designated player Kat Spilman and sophomore catcher Janae Matos each going 2-for-4. Matos connected on her second homer of the season and drove in two runs while junior outfielder Julie Siragusa added three RBIs with one hit.
Sophomore Amanda Carisone improved to 3-0 in the circle in the opener as she allowed eight runs, five earned, on nine hits and two walks while striking out two batters.
After falling behind 5-0 in the first inning, the Greyhounds would get on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning when Matos connected on a two-out, solo home run down the left field line. Moravian tied the game at 5-5 with four runs in the top of the third inning. Siragusa came up with one out and the bases loaded, and delivered a three-RBI double to right center field. Siragusa would tie the game when she raced home on an RBI single by Spilman.
The Hounds jumped ahead 10-5 with five runs in the top of the fifth inning. The first two runs came in on an error before Matos had an RBI single. Sophomore first baseman Jean Markovic added an RBI fielder's choice before junior pinch hitter Abby Jeffries ripped an RBI triple to left field.
Moravian would hold on for the victory as WPI scored a run in the bottom of the fifth inning and two more in the bottom of the seventh.
The Greyhounds had seven hits against Alfred with Jeffries and junior outfielder Madison Newhouser each going 2-for-3 and Jeffries adding a homer and two RBIs.
Sophomore Josie Novak won her third game of the season in the circle with her first shutout of the year and seventh of her career. Novak scattered six hits and did not allow a walk while striking out five batters.
Moravian broke open a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jeffries led off with a solo home run to center field, her first homer of the season. The Greyhounds added two more runs in the home half of the sixth inning on RBI singles from Newhouser and Jeffries.
The Hounds are scheduled to play two more games at the National Training Center on Thursday, March 10 when Moravian takes on St. Joseph's (Maine) College at 1:00 p.m. and Millsaps (Tenn.) College at 3:00 p.m.
