CENTER VALLEY, Pa. --- The No. 11 Moravian College softball swept a non-conference doubleheader at DeSales University, 5-0 and 8-0 in five innings, Tuesday afternoon as the squad swept its fifth straight twinbill.
In the opener, junior pitcher Josie Novak tossed her sixth one-hit shutout of the season and her seventh overall shutout as she allowed just the one hit and two walks while striking out 11 batters.
Moravian, which is now 22-2 on the season, had seven hits in the first contest with senior left fielder Julie Siragusa and sophomore center fielder Kat Spilman each going 2-for-4 and senior first baseman Abby Jeffries driving in three runs.
The Blue and Grey opened the scoring in the fourth inning when freshman designated player Olivia Martin singled with two outs and scored on an error. The Greyhounds would add three more runs in the fifth inning when Jeffries connected on a three-RBI single as Spilman, Siragusa and sophomore shortstop Kaela Kane all raced home.
Moravian finished off the scoring in the opener in the top of the seventh when junior catcher Janae Matos hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score sophomore pinch runner Ashley Gindle.
In the second game, junior Amanda Carisone and freshman Paige Lesher combined on a three-hit shutout with Carisone, who is now 12-0 this spring, tossing four innings with three hits and a walk to go with five strikeouts while Lesher had one strikeout in her inning of action.
The Greyhound bats had 11 hits in the nightcap with Jeffries, Spilman and Matos each going 2-for-3. Jeffries added two RBIs and a double while sophomore third baseman Madison Shaneberger had a pair of RBIs and a double.
Moravian took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning of the late contest with Shaneberger connecting on a two-RBI double that scored Matos and senior catcher Niki Maffettone. The Hounds pushed the lead to 5-0 with three runs in the third inning with an RBI single by Matos, and RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman second baseman Lauren Goetz and an RBI fielder's choice hit by Maffettone.
The Blue and Grey finished off the scoring with three more runs in the top of the fourth inning to reach the NCAA run-rule. Jeffries connected on a two-RBI double as Spilman and Siragusa scored again, and Jeffries would race home on a throwing error on a ball hit by Matos.
Moravian is scheduled to begin a four-game home stand on Thursday, April 13 when the Greyhounds host rival Muhlenberg College in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Blue & Grey Field in Bethlehem.
