MADISON, N.J. --- The No. 10 Moravian College softball team remained undefeated in Landmark Conference action with a pair of shutout wins at Drew University Saturday afternoon, taking the first game 9-0 in five innings and winning the second contest 8-0 in six innings.
The Greyhounds, now 21-3 overall and 10-0 in Landmark Conference play, have won three of their last four games by shutout and half of their Landmark Conference wins this spring have been by shutout.
Senior Josie Novak earned the win in the opener as she scattered three hits and struck out six batters to improve to 10-2 in the circle this spring with her 29th career shutout.
The Hounds had nine hits in the game with freshman right fielder Brooke Wehr going 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Junior center fielder Kat Spilman was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs while senior catcher Janae Matos added two RBIs.
The Blue and Grey took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning in the opener. Freshman shortstop Maddisen Bieber reached on an error as did sophomore designated player Lauren Goetz. Wehr then connected on an RBI single to bring Bieber across the plate while Matos hit a two-RBI single to score Goetz and Wehr.
Moravian added six runs in the top of the fifth inning for the NCAA run rule. Junior third baseman Madison Shaneberger drew a walk and senior first baseman Jean Markovic was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After a wild pitch, Bieber hit an RBI ground out to score Shaneberger while Markovic scored when Goetz reached on an error. Wehr connected on another RBI single to bring in Goetz, and Wehr and junior pinch runner Ashley Gindle scored on a two-RBI triple by Spilman. Freshman second baseman Shannon Brogan drove in the final run with an RBI single as Spilman raced across the plate.
Junior pitcher Amanda Carisone improved to 11-1 in the circle this season with her 18th career shutout in the second game, scattering two hits to go with five strikeouts.
The Greyhounds added another 11 hits in the second game with Bieber going 2-for-3 and both Wehr and Spilman adding 2-for-4 performances at the plate.
The Blue and Grey took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Brogan singled with one out and scored on an RBI double by Shaneberger. Bieber would eventually drive in Shaneberger with an RBI single.
The Hounds pushed the edge to 3-0 with a run on the third inning as Wehr led off with a single and eventually scored on an error.
Moravian added three more runs in the top of the fourth frame. Wehr had an RBI single to score junior designated player Kaela Kane, who had reentered the game after Goetz reached on a fielder's choice. Sophomore left fielder Emily Stanilious followed with an RBI double to bring in Wehr, and Stanilious finished off the inning when she raced home on an error.
The Greyhounds score a run in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI pinch hit sacrifice fly by senior Megan Taylor that scored Shaneberger, who had walked earlier in the inning. The Blue and Grey added a run in the sixth for the NCAA run rule as Spilman connected on an RBI double to bring in senior pinch runner Jackie Marshall.
Moravian is slated to return to action on Tuesday, April 17 in a non-conference doubleheader versus Delaware Valley University beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Blue & Grey Field in Bethlehem.
