No. 17 Greyhounds Sweep Gwynedd Mercy to Begin 2021 Campaign

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The No. 17 Moravian College softball team opened its 2021 season by scoring 26 runs in just 10 innings as the Greyhounds swept Gwynedd Mercy University, 9-1 and 17-1, in a pair of five-inning non-conference contests at Blue & Grey Field Saturday afternoon as the Hounds played at home for the first time since May 4, 2019 due to the pandemic.

How It Happened – Game 1

• Moravian opened the scoring in the first contest with four runs in the bottom of the first inning as the Hounds chased runs across the plate with an error, an RBI double from junior right fielder Briana DiCandeloro and an RBI sacrifice fly by freshman designated player Emily Silberman in her first collegiate plate appearance
• The Greyhounds added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior third baseman Maddisen Bieber hit a one-out solo home run, the fourth of her career, and DiCandeloro added an RBI double
• Moravian scored three more times in the bottom of the fifth to institute the NCAAs eight-run rule. Sophomore shortstop Alexis Agrapides and junior pitcher Alexandria Scheeler each had RBIs in the frame while senior catcher Brooke Wehr added an RBI sacrifice fly
• Scheeler earned the win in the circle as she allowed an unearned run on three hits to go with five strikeouts 

How It Happened – Game 2

• The Hounds put up a four-spot in the first inning of the second game as well with Agrapides scoring on a wild pitch, Wehr connecting on a two-RBI double and senior left fielder Maura Kane hitting an RBI ground out.
• Moravian tacked on eight more runs in the bottom of the second. Bieber drove in a run with an RBI single and Wehr had another RBI double. Scheeler added an RBI single Kane ripped an RBI single and junior center fielder Victoria Smith added a two RBI single. Agrapides finished the inning with a two RBI single
• The Blue & Grey plated five more runs in the bottom of the third on an RBI double from Scheeler, RBI singles by Kane and Agrapides and a two-RBI single from senior second baseman Shannon Brogan
• Sophomore Madison Hummel and senior Meghan Bauer combined on a two-hitter with Hummel striking out three batters in three innings and Bauer recording five strikeouts including striking out the side in the fourth frame

First for the Hounds

• Despite being sophomores, Agrapides and Hummel made their Blue & Grey Field debuts with the pandemic cancelling all of the Hounds home games in 2020. Silberman and fellow freshmen Bri Lekoski and Paige Parisi also made their home debuts

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian had a total of 30 hits including six for extra bases in the two games with nine players collecting at least two hits. Agrapides was 5-for-8 in the leadoff position with four RBIs and three runs while Brogan, Scheeler and Smith were all 4-for-7. Brogan added four runs and two RBIs while Scheeler had four runs, four RBIs and a double and Smith contributed three runs and two RBIs
• Bieber had a 3-for-5 day with five runs, two RBIs and her homer while Kane was also 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs. Silberman was 3-for-4 in her collegiate debut with an RBI. DiCandeloro was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two doubles while Wehr finished the day 2-for-7 with three runs, three RBIs and a pair of doubles 

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Tuesday, March 16 at Gwynedd Mercy University (DH), 3:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 20 vs. Juniata College (DH), 1:00 p.m.