CLERMONT, Fla. --- The 18th-ranked Moravian College softball team saw a pair of leads slip away as Elizabethtown College rallied for an 8-7, nine-inning win at the National Training Center Monday afternoon.
The Greyhounds, now 1-2 on the season, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Miranda Sergas and senior first baseman/pitcher Jenna Carmon each reached on fielder's choice plays before junior third baseman Shannen Mohr connected on a two-RBI double.
Moravian pushed its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning when sophomore catcher Cassie Ernst led off with a single and scored on an RBI triple by sophomore outfielder Taylor Mihalik.
The Blue Jays, who are 2-2 this season, tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the third inning on a bases loaded, three-RBI triple from third baseman Elly McCarthy.
The Greyhounds responded in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs to retake a 5-3 lead. Carmon led off with a double before Mohr delivered an RBI triple. Sophomore designated player Rachel DeLucia would connect on a one-out RBI single to score Mohr.
Elizabethtown would get a run in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI double from catcher Jessica White, and the Blue Jays pulled in front, 6-5, with two runs in the top of the sixth inning on a two-RBI single by McCarthy.
Moravian moved back in front, 7-6, in the bottom half of the sixth inning on RBI singles by freshman outfielder Dior George and Sergas.
The Blue Jays would force extra innings with a run in the top of seventh on an RBI single from second baseman Whitney Breneman that scored outfielder Payton Marunich, who has started the inning with a double.
Since the game is part of a tournament, the team's went to the international tiebreaker in the top of the eighth, starting with a runner on second base. However, neither team was able to get a runner home.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Blue Jays took an 8-7 lead on an RBI single from first baseman Courtney Comstock.
In Moravian's half of the ninth inning, the Greyhounds loaded the bases with one out but were unable to get the tying run home.
Elizabethtown had a 13-11 edge in hits in the contest with McCarthy going four-for-five with five RBIs. Comstock was two-for-three for the Blue Jays while Breneman and shortstop Lindsey Cooper each went two-for-five. George led Moravian at the plate with a three-for-five performance while Mohr was two-for-five with a pair of extra-base hits and three RBIs. Carmon was two-for-five and scored two runs.
Julie Sebastian went the distance and earned the victory for Elizabethtown, allowing seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits with a walk and five strikeouts in nine innings of action.
Moravian freshman Lizzie Mack made her first career start in the circle, allowing four runs on six hits and four walks to go with a strikeout in 4 1/3 innings of action. Carmon tossed the final 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts as Carmon fell to 0-2 on the season while seeing action in all three of Moravian's game so far this season.
The Greyhounds will return to action at the National Training Center on Tuesday, March 6 as they play Berry (Ga.) College at 9:00 a.m. and Misericordia University at 11:30 a.m.
