CLERMONT, Fla. --- The 19th-ranked Moravian College softball team dropped its first game of the year in a 7-2 loss to John Carroll (Ohio) University in the Greyhounds second game of the day Tuesday at the National Training Center. The loss was the first of the year for Moravian after opening the season with five straight wins.
The Greyhounds took a 2-0 lead over John Carroll with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second inning. Senior third baseman Shannen Mohr led off the inning with a double, and sophomore outfielder Jenn Dalickas hit an infield single. After an out, sophomore pitcher Lizzie Mack connected on a two-RBI triple to score Mohr and Dalcikas with Moravian's only runs of the contest.
John Carroll cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the third inning as second baseman Samantha Becker led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Mackenzie Griffin.
The Blue Streaks scored three times in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead, just the second time this season that Moravian had trailed. Designated player Christie Wade was hit by a pitch, and back to back walks by shortstop Ashlee Unrue and Becker would load the bases. The Greyhounds recorded the second out of the inning at the plate but Griffin connected on a two-RBI double, and first baseman Ally Kleinhans added an RBI single.
John Carroll added three more runs in the top of the sixth to build a 7-2 lead. Outfielder Colleen Brady had a two-RBI double in the inning while outfielder Morgan Robinson added an RBI double.
The Blue Streaks, who have defeated the Greyhounds in three of the four meetings between the schools at the National Training Center, had a 10-9 edge in hits. Becker was three-for-three while Brady went two-for-four. Mohr and Dalickas were each two-for-three to lead the Greyhounds.
Mack took the loss in the circle for the Greyhounds, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks to go with a pair of strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of action. Junior Elizabeth Tillou tossed the final 3 2/3 innings with three runs on seven hits and a walk to go along with two strikeouts. Rachel Byrnes earned the win for the Blue Streaks with four strikeouts.
Moravian will return to action on Thursday, March 7th with two games at the National Training Center as the Greyhounds play Lebanon Valley College at 1:00 p.m. and Misericordia University at 5:00 p.m.
