BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Moravian College softball team split a doubleheader with The College of New Jersey on Tuesday in the 2014 home opener, dropping the first game of the twin bill, 2-1, before bouncing back with a 7-4 win in Game 2.
The Greyhounds' record moves to 6-2 overall before Landmark Conference play begins this Saturday at Susquehanna University. The Crusaders were picked to repeat as conference champions in the preseason coaches' poll after ending Moravian's run of 13 straight conference titles – dating back to the Commonwealth Conference – in 2012.
Game 1
Junior first baseman Jenn Dalickas went 2-for-3 with the Greyhounds' lone RBI and senior pitcher Elizabeth Tillou threw 5.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball in relief, but the Lions held on to win a pitcher's duel by the slimmest of margins.
Moravian had the upper hand early, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Dalickas' RBI single to left field plated junior center fielder Dior George. Dalickas' hit was a blooper over the infielders, which easily scored George thanks to the junior swiping third base on the previous at-bat.
The Lions put back-to-back hits together to score two in the top of the second off sophomore starting pitcher Kiersten Cain, who took the loss to fall to 1-1. Tillou came on to finish the inning and retired six straight Lions before surrendering the only hit she would allow during her shift in Game 1. The senior hurler notched two strikeouts and walked zero as she gave her team a shot to come back.
"Tillou pitched very well," head coach John Byrne said. "It was a shame we couldn't reward her with a win by getting another run or two. Her pitching was a big positive today."
On the negative side, the Greyhounds stranded six runners during the comeback attempt that fell just short.
"You can't take called third strikes," Byrne said. "We made mental base running mistakes and we didn't get the big hit when we needed it. There were errors from our pitchers with too many walks; that will always come back to haunt you."
Tillou also picked up a single in three at-bats in Game 1, and was joined by senior right fielder Miranda Sergas and senior third baseman Rachel DeLucia in the hit department.
Game 2
Tillou again was lights out coming out of the Moravian bullpen, and this time made her mark on a Greyhound victory. The senior recorded a save – the fourth of her career – after pitching another 2.1 innings of scoreless softball. She has yet to allow a run in 13.1 frames of work this season, and in Game 2, she preserved the victory for sophomore starter Lindsay Sullivan, who improved to 3-0.
TCNJ rode the momentum from the first victory into their half of the first inning of Game 2, taking a 1-0 lead after scoring on a Moravian error. Sullivan proceeded to tame the Lions' bats over the next three frames, and got plenty of support from the Greyhound lineup in the process.
Sophomore center fielder Mary Schlosbon (2-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI) led off the home half of the first with a triple down the right field line. She would cross home for the 1-1 tie after Sullivan's sacrifice fly to dead center field.
Senior outfielder Taylor Mihalik got the ball rolling in the second inning with a leadoff double. The senior went 1-for-2 with an RBI, two runs and a walk, but her one hit didn't tell the whole story in the Tuesday doubleheader.
"Taylor hit the ball hard in both games, even on her outs," Byrne said. "She's seeing the ball well and showing some power with her bat. She also continued showing her versatility by playing two different outfield positions very well today after catching a few games down in Florida."
Senior third baseman Leann Ventriglia placed a perfect bunt onto the Blue & Grey Field dirt and reached on a single before Schlosbon singled home Mihalik for the go-ahead run. Ventriglia would score to make it 3-1 on a TCNJ passed ball.
The Greyhounds poured on the runs in the third, getting RBIs from a Mihalik walk with the bases loaded and a Ventriglia double to the right-center field gap. The Greyhounds added two more on Lions gaffes to take a 7-1 lead heading into the fourth inning.
The Lions came roaring back in the top of the fifth with five hits and three runs. Tillou came on with two outs in the frame, and received a little help from her defense. Tillou allowed a single, and as TCNJ attempted to plate its fourth run of the inning, Mihalik gunned down a runner at home plate from left field to hold the score at 7-4.
Tillou allowed a hit per inning over the final two frames to get the save and preserve Moravian's sixth victory of the season.
Moravian will play two against the defending Landmark Conference champions at Susquehanna on Saturday. Game 1 is slated for 1 p.m. with the second to follow immediately after.

May 21, 2014
Dalickas Selected to NFCA All-America Second Team

May 3, 2014
Softball Sees Season End in Loss to Susquehanna


April 28, 2014
DeLucia & Sullivan Honored by Landmark Conference

April 26, 2014
Dalickas Breaks HR & RBI Season Records in Sweep of Juniata

April 24, 2014
Greyhounds Sweep Scranton to Clinch Landmark Tourney Berth

April 24, 2014
Four Softball Players Ranked in NCAA Statistics

April 22, 2014
Softball Postpones Scranton to April 24; Cancels Ramapo DH

April 18, 2014
Softball Scores 28 Runs in Sweep of Staten Island

April 17, 2014
Softball Walks Off with Split vs. Catholic

April 15, 2014
Moravian Postpones Events for April 15

April 14, 2014
Tillou Honored as Landmark Softball Pitcher of the Week

April 14, 2014
Softball Powers Past Delaware Valley to Run Win Streak to 15

April 13, 2014
Softball Runs Winning Streak to 13 with Sweep of Ursinus

April 12, 2014
Softball Win Streak to 11 with Sweep at Elizabethtown

April 10, 2014
Moravian Hosts Student-Athlete Appreciation Event

April 10, 2014
Softball Sweeps Muhlenberg to Clinch Matte Award

April 9, 2014
Softball Makes Schedule Adjustments for Remaining Games

April 7, 2014
Dalickas Named Landmark Softball Player of the Week

April 5, 2014
Sunday Softball vs. Ramapo Postponed

April 3, 2014
Dalickas, Pitching Power Greyhounds to Sweep of Drew

April 1, 2014
Softball Uses Long Ball to Sweep Centenary

March 28, 2014
Softball Postpones Drew Doubleheader to April 3

March 26, 2014
Softball versus Ursinus Postponed for March 27

March 23, 2014
Dalickas, Matz Power Hounds to Split with Misericordia

March 22, 2014
Softball Drops Twinbill at Susquehanna in Landmark Opener

March 18, 2014
Hounds Split Doubleheader With TCNJ in Home Opener

March 10, 2014
Mack & Sullivan Honored by Landmark Conference

March 7, 2014
Spartans Make Their Case in 3-2 Defeat of Softball Team

March 6, 2014
UPDATE: Florida Storm Forces Schedule Changes

March 5, 2014
Softball Settles in for 16-4 Victory Over Grove City

March 3, 2014
Mack Leads Offensive Attack in 13-2 Victory vs. Marywood

March 3, 2014
Greyhounds Open Softball Season With 5-1 Win Over Thiel

February 28, 2014
Softball Squad Seeks Return to Championship Culture in 2014

February 24, 2014
Softball Selected Second in Landmark Preseason Poll

February 7, 2014
Softball Schedule Begins With Challenging Spring Break Test

January 20, 2014
Moravian SAAC Hosts Sophomore Leadership Event

December 20, 2013
Sergas & Ernst Named 2014 Moravian Softball Captains

December 3, 2013
Softball Teams Up with Northampton Food Bank

November 8, 2013
Moravian Welcomes 2013 Hall of Fame Class and Herbstman Award Winner


October 8, 2013
7 Greyhounds Named 2012-13 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes