BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The No. 15 Moravian College softball team swept its third straight doubleheader as the Hounds defeated Juniata College, 5-0 and 9-4, in Landmark Conference action at Blue & Grey Field Sunday afternoon.
"We're at a good spot at the 20-game mark including 4-0 in the conference which is the important inning," commented Head Coach John Byrne. "We had two good pitching outings today with one inning in the second game where we lapsed and made some bad decisions. We came back and put up some runs. I thought we swung the bat pretty well today, which is a good sign, and we need to carry that on into the second half of the season. We're looking forward to some good weather so we can get some games in."
The Greyhounds, now 18-2 overall and 4-0 in Landmark Conference play, had ten hits in the opener with freshman right fielder Emily Stanilious going 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Senior first baseman Abby Jeffries went 2-for-3 with a homer while senior left fielder Julie Siragusa added two RBIs.
Junior Josie Novak tossed her fifth one-hit shutout of the season with one walk and five strikeouts in the circle.
Moravian took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when junior catcher Janae Matos ripped an RBI double, her team leading 14th of the season, to left center that chased sophomore shortstop Kaela Kane home from second base.
The Blue and Grey extended the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Siragusa ripped a two-RBI single up the middle with the bases loaded to score freshman pinch runner Taylor Herman and Stanilious.
Jeffries connected on a solo home run, her second of the season, to center field in the bottom of the fifth to extend Moravian's lead to 4-0. The Hounds finished the scoring in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by sophomore outfielder Ashley Gindle that scored Stanilious.
Moravian had 13 hits in the second contest with Stanilious going 3-for-4. Matos was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs, a double and three walks as she reached base in all five plate appearances. Sophomore center fielder Kat Spilman was 2-for-4 with an RBI while Siragusa had a 2-for-5 game.
Junior pitcher Amanda Carisone remained undefeated in the circle this spring as she improved to 10-0 on the year after allowing four runs on four hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts.
The Hounds took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning to open the second game. Jeffries drove in the first run with an RBI single before senior designated player Niki Maffettone was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Stanilious followed with an RBI single for the Blue and Grey.
Moravian pushed the lead to 4-0 with a run in the second inning on an RBI single from freshman second baseman Lauren Goetz.
The Eagles would get on the scoreboard for the first time in the doubleheader with four runs in the top of the third inning to knot the score at 4-4. The Hounds responded in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single by Kane that scored Stanilious to put Moravian back ahead 5-4.
The Greyhounds added a run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Stanilious that chased Matos across the plate.
Matos connected on her second RBI double of the day in the fifth inning to drive in two runs as the Blue and Grey extend the lead to 8-4 with Kane and Gindle both scoring. The double was Matos' 15th of the season to move into a tie for second in school history for a single season.
In the sixth inning, Spilman connected on an RBI single that scored sophomore third baseman Madison Shaneberger to make the lead 9-4 and finish the scoring.
The Greyhounds are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, April 4 in a non-conference doubleheader at DeSales University beginning at 3:00 p.m.
