BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College softball team extended its winning streak to nine games with a sweep of Centenary (N.J.) College, 8-0 in six innings, and 8-1, in non-conference action at Blue & Grey Field Tuesday.
The Greyhounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning in the opener. Sophomore outfielder Jenn Dalickas led off with a double off the fence in left field, and she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior first Amanda Dizinno. Freshman designated player Lindsay Sullivan connected on a line drive sacrifice fly to center field that scored Dalickas.
Dizinno recorded her fourth putout of the game to end the top of the third inning to give her a career tot of 955, breaking the school record of 954 set by Danielle Carrione from 2004-07.
Moravian extended the lead to 4-0 with three runs in the bottom half of the third inning. Senior pitcher Alyssa Fegely led off with a single, and after an out, junior outfielder Miranda Sergas singled to put runners on the corners. Junior catcher Cassie Ernst followed with a three-run homer to left field, her first home run of the season.
The Greyhounds added a pair of runs in the fourth inning for a 6-0 lead. Sophomore shortstop Lizzie Mack doubled with one out, and senior third baseman Shannen Mohr followed with an infield single. Fegely then connected on a two-RBI double to score Mack and Mohr.
Moravian would plate two runs in the bottom of the sixth for the NCAA eight-run mercy rule. Junior pinch hitters Melissa Cottone and Rachel DeLucia singled with one out before junior outfielder Taylor Mihalik singled to load the bases. Ernst connected on a two-RBI single up to score the final two runs.
The Greyhounds had a 12-3 advantage in hits in the opener with Mack and Fegely each going two-for-two. Ernst was two-for-three with 5 RBIs in the contest.
In the circle, Fegely improved to 7-1 on the season with her fifth shutout of the season, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out seven batters. Roxanne Keelan took the loss for the Cyclones.
Moravian opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the first inning in the second game. Sophomore outfielder Dior George reached on an error to start the game, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single from Sergas. Ernst had a single in the inning and scored on another Centenary error while Dalickas reached on a fielder's choice and scored on another RBI fielder's choice by Sullivan.
The Cyclones would get on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the third inning to cut Moravian's lead to 3-1. Senior catcher Cara Montferrat singled with two outs and scored on an RBI single from junior second baseman Katie Ciecwicz.
The Greyhounds answered back in the home half of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Dalickas led off with a single and scored on an RBI single from Sullivan.
Centenary had a chance to score in the top of the fifth inning but Montferrat was thrown out at the plate by Sergas trying to score from second base on a single.
Moravian scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to extend the lead to 7-1. Dalickas and Sullivan each reached on fielder's choices, and the duo scored on a two-RBI double by Mack, who would score on an error on a ball hit by Mohr.
The Greyhounds scored their final run in the bottom half of the sixth for an 8-1 lead. George doubled off the fence in left field to start the inning and scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by Ernst.
Moravian had an 8-6 edge in hits in the second game with Sergas going two-for-four. Montferrat and Ciecwicz were both two-for-three for Centenary.
Sullivan improves to 3-0 in the circle for the Greyhounds, allowing a run on six hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts. Junior Meagan Madsen suffered her first loss of the season for the Cyclones.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Thursday, April 4th in a non-conference doubleheader at Kean (N.J.) University beginning at 3:00 p.m.
