CLERMONT, Fla. --- The No. 14 Moravian College softball team swept two more contests at the Spring Games being played at the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida as the Greyhounds defeated Wittenberg (Ohio) University, 2-0, and Penn State Behrend, 10-2, Thursday morning to improve to 8-0 on the year.
In the opening game of the day against previously undefeated Wittenberg, Moravian junior Josie Novak tossed her fourth one-hit shutout of the season as she struck out 14 batters in the win. Novak moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Moravian record books in both wins with 42 and shutouts with 16 in her career, and she moved into eighth in innings pitched at 339.
The Greyhounds had seven hits in the victory with junior catcher Janae Matos going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles.
The Hounds scored both of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Matos and freshman right fielder Lauren Goetz hit back-to-back singles with one out, and Matos would come around to score on a throwing error on a fielder's choice by junior first baseman Jean Markovic. After an out, senior pinch hitter Victoria Conner connected on an RBI double to right field to score Goetz.
Moravian pounded out 12 hits in the win over Penn State Behrend with Matos going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a homer. Senior catcher Niki Maffettone was 2-for-3 at the plate while sophomore shortstop Kaela Kane was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Junior Amanda Carisone improved to 4-0 in the circle as she allowed two runs, just one earned, one seven hits and a walk to go with eight strikeouts. Carisone moved into a tie for ninth in the Moravian record books with her 41st career victory.
The Blue and Grey scored five times in the top of the first inning to give Carisone all of the offense she would need. Senior left fielder Julie Siragusa led off the game with a triple down the right field line, and she scored on an RBI single by Kane. After a walk by sophomore center fielder Kat Spilman and a fielder's choice by senior designated player Abby Jeffries to load the bases, Matos connected on a grand slam to left field, her first home run of the season.
The Greyhounds pushed their lead to 6-0 with a run in the top of the fourth inning when freshman pinch runner Colleen McCoy scored on an RBI single from Kane. The Lions would get on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom half of the fourth, and Penn State Behrend scored again in the bottom of the fifth to cut Moravian's lead to 6-2.
The Hounds finished off the scoring with four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Goetz drove in Markovic with an RBI double while Maffettone had an RBI single that scored junior pinch runner Jackie Marshall. Sophomore third baseman Madison Shaneberger drove in the final two runs with a two-RBI single as Maffettone and Goetz crossed the plate.
Moravian is scheduled to close out its trip to the Spring Games on Friday, March 10 with games against Nebraska Wesleyan University at 2:00 p.m. and John Carroll (Ohio) University at 4:30 p.m.
