BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Freshman pitcher Lindsay Sullivan tossed a four-hit shutout in the second game to lead the Moravian College softball team to a 3-0 win over Susquehanna University to salvage a split in the teams' Landmark Conference doubleheader Sunday after the Crusaders won the opening game 11-7.
The Greyhounds took a 1-0 lead in the opener in the bottom of the first inning. Junior catcher Cassie Ernst hit an infield single with two outs and scored when sophomore outfielder Jenn Dalickas dropped an RBI double down the left field line.
Susquehanna answered with four runs in the top of the second inning to build a 4-1 lead. Freshman outfielder Amanda Neveroski led off the inning with a solo home run to straight away center field, her second homer of the season. Senior shortstop Larissa Luu connected on a two-out, three-run homer to left field to put the Crusaders in front.
Moravian tied the game at 4-4 with three runs in the bottom of the second. Sophomore designated player Lizzie Mack led off with a single and scored on an RBI single by senior third baseman Shannen Mohr. Mohr scored after Ernst was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and sophomore outfielder Dior George tied the game when she scored on a wild pitch.
The Crusaders pulled back in front, 5-4, in the top of the third inning when junior catcher Brittany Devlin hit an RBI single with the bases loaded but a pair of rundowns on the play did not allow another run to score.
The Greyhounds answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the third for a 6-5 advantage. Senior first baseman Amanda Dizinno led off with a single and Mohr drew a walk with two outs before junior Leann Ventriglia came in to pinch run. Senior shortstop Brook Kowal dropped an RBI single under a sliding right field that saw Dizinno and Ventriglia score.
Susquehanna scored four times in the top of the fourth inning to take a 9-6 lead. Sophomore outfielder Brianna Murphy had an RBI single before Devlin had a two-out, two-RBI single. Sophomore designated player Madison Clark added an RBI single in the inning.
The Crusaders extended their lead to 11-6 in the top of the fifth on a two-run homer to right center by senior outfielder Kathryn Gilbert.
Moravian scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Crusaders lead to 11-7 when Kowal hit an infield single and Mack scored on the play.
The Greyhounds had a chance to cut into the Susquehanna lead in the bottom of the sixth but Ernst was thrown out at the plate from left field to end the inning.
Susquehanna had a 15-14 edge in hits in the opening game with senior second baseman Lauren Gilbert going three-for-four. Luu was two-for three while sophomore third baseman Alyssa Cantalini was two-for-four and Kathryn Gilbert and Murphy were both two-for-five. Mack led the Greyhounds at the plate with a three-for-four performance while Kowal was two-for-three. Dizinno and Dalickas were both two-for-four for Moravian while George was two-for-five.
Sophomore Morgan Lewis went the distance in the circle for the Crusaders, allowing seven runs, just four earned, on 14 hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts.
Moravian used all four of its pitchers in the game with Tillou suffering the loss in relief as she allowed three runs, two earned on five hits in 1 1/3 innings of action. Senior Alyssa Fegely started for the Greyhounds and pitched 1 2/3 innings with four runs on four hits and two strikeouts while Mack tossed 1 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks. Sullivan pitched the final 2 2/3 innings with two hits and two strikeouts.
The Greyhounds opened the scoring in the second game when Dalickas connected on a leadoff home run in the second inning. The homer was the third of the season for Dalickas, and the ball cleared the eight-lane track behind the right field fence.
In the top half of the second, Dizinno recorded her 1,000th career putout at first base, becoming the first player in school history to reach the milestone. Dizinno now has 1,008 career putouts.
Moravian scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning for a 3-0 lead. Kowal reached on a fielder's choice and scored from first base on an RBI double from George that rolled to the fence in left center. After an out, George crossed the plate on an RBI single by Ernst.
The Greyhounds had a 9-4 advantage in hits in the second game with Dalickas going three-for-three. Murphy was two-for-three to lead Susquehanna.
Sullivan improved to 5-0 in the circle after allowing just four hits in the second game to go with four strikeouts. Sullivan tossed the final 9 2/3 inning of the doubleheader for Moravian and gave up just five hits and six base runners.
Freshman Ashley Cole fell to 6-2 for Susquehanna in the circle as the Crusaders lost their first conference game of the season.
Moravian is schedule to return to action on Tuesday, April 9th in a non-conference doubleheader versus Delaware Valley College beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Blue & Grey Field in Bethlehem.
