BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The No. 19 ranked and top seed Moravian College softball team opened the 2016 Landmark Conference Championship Tournament with an 8-1 win over fourth seed The University of Scranton Saturday at Blue & Grey Field.

The Greyhounds, now 33-4, advance to the winner's bracket game scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Saturday while the Royals will play in the first elimination game scheduled for 5:00 p.m.

The Hounds had 10 hits in the game with senior right fielder Mary Schlosbon and freshman third baseman Madison Shaneberger each going 2-for-3. Scranton had four hits in the contest.

Moravian sophomore Josie Novak  improved to 18-2 on the season as she allowed a run on four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters. Senior Jamie Hampsey took the loss for Scranton after giving up eight runs, five earned, on 10 hits, seven walks and two strikeouts in five innings, and junior Emily Simon had one strikeout in one inning of action.

The Greyhounds jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After an error and a pair of infield singles to load the bases, freshman center fielder Kat Spilman connected on a two-RBI single down the right field line. Junior left fielder Julie Siragusa followed with a two-RBI double to center field, and sophomore first baseman Jean Markovic had an RBI single to right field. Moravian's final run of the inning scored on an error.

The Hounds added two runs in the bottom of the fourth for an 8-0 lead when sophomore catcher Janae Matos connected on a two-RBI double to right center field.

Scranton would get its only run of the game in the top of the fifth inning on a one-out solo home run by sophomore designated player Morgan Rentzheimer.