BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The No. 11 and top seed Moravian College posted a 9-1, five-inning victory over fourth seed Juniata College in the opening game of the 2017 Landmark Conference Championship Tournament at Blue & Grey Field Saturday morning.
The Greyhounds, now 35-4 on the season, advance to the winner's bracket game at 2:00 p.m. while the Eagles play in the first elimination game at 4:00 p.m. Saturday or Sunday morning.
Moravian had 11 hits in the game with freshman right fielder Emily Stanilious going 3-for-3 and scoring two runs. Senior left fielder Julie Siragusa was 2-for-4 with a homer, a double and four RBIs while senior designated player Abby Jeffries and junior first baseman Jean Markovic were both 2-for-3 with Jeffries adding an RBI and Markovic connecting on two doubles and adding two RBIs. Junior catcher Janae Matos added two RBIs and her school-record 22nd double of the season.
Juniata had four hits in the game with junior right fielder/pitcher Chrisi Lerchen driving in a run with an RBI single.
Junior Amanda Carisone improved to 18-2 in the circle for Moravian with four hits and a run.
Freshman pitcher/outfielder Anna Baran tossed the 3.2 innings for the Eagles and allowed seven runs on nine hits and two walks. Lerchen tossed the final inning with two runs on two hits.
Juniata jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Sophomore third baseman Abby Ebright hit an infield single with one out and would score on a two-out RBI single by Lerchen to right center.
The Greyhounds answered with five runs in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore third baseman Madison Shaneberger drew a walk to lead off the inning, and Siragusa followed with a two-run homer, her second of the season, off of the foul pole down the right field line to give Moravian a 2-1 lead. Stanilious put down a bunt single, and after an out, Jeffries hit an infield single. Matos followed with a two-RBI double to left center to break the record for doubles as Stanilious and freshman pinch runner Colleen McCoy scored. The double was Matos' school-record 22nd two-bagger of the season. Markovic connected on an RBI double off of the fence in center field to score Matos.
Moravian added two runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 7-1 advantage. Stanilious tripled to left center with two outs and would score on an RBI triple by sophomore center fielder Kat Spilman. Jeffries then ripped an RBI single up the middle to score Spilman.
