CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Moravian College softball team split its games at the Spring Games in Clermont, Florida for the third time this week with a 15-6 win over Wittenberg (Ohio) University to start action on Thursday before falling to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 8-4, in the second contest of the day.
The Hounds, now 5-3 on the season, had 14 hits in the win against Wittenberg. Freshman pitcher/designated player Alexandria Scheeler was 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs for Moravian while sophomore designated player/second baseman Shannon Brogan was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Sophomore catcher Brooke Wehr had a 2-for-4 game with a pair of runs while junior first baseman Lauren Goetz went 2-for-3, scored twice, drove in five runs and connected on a grand slam. Junior right fielder Emily Stanilious added two RBIs in the win while scoring three times.
Scheeler made the start in the circle and tossed 3.2 innings with four runs, just two earned, on seven hits and a walk. Junior Paige Lesher pitched the final 3.1 innings with a pair of runs on six hits to go with three strikeouts to earn her third win of the season.
The Greyhounds jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Stanilious reached on a fielder's choice while senior left fielder Kat Spilman singled and Brogan was hit by a pitch. After the second out of the inning, Goetz connected on a grand slam to center field, her third homer of the season and second grand slam.
Wittenberg would score a run in the bottom of the second frame. Moravian answered back in the top of the third when Brogan led off with a single and scored on an RBI single from Scheeler to make it a 5-1 game.
The Hounds pushed the lead to 6-1 with a run in the top of the fourth when Stanilious reached on another fielder's choice and raced home from third on an RBI ground out by Brogan.
Wittenberg closed the gap to 6-4 with a three-run fourth inning.
Moravian plated a run in the top of the sixth frame to push the edge to 7-4. Wehr connected on an infield single to start the inning and stole second base with two outs before Brogan connected on an RBI single.
The Tigers answered again with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 7-6.
The Blue and Grey extended their lead once again in the top of the seventh inning with eight runs. Scheeler led off with a single and senior Julia DeMarco came on to pinch run. After a single by freshman center fielder Cameron Cassidy and an error put Wehr on to load the bases, Stanilious connected on a two-RBI single to bring DeMarco and Cassidy across the plate. Spilman reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases once again before a two-RBI single off of Brogan's bat scored Wehr and Stanilious. Senior third baseman Madison Shaneberger was hit by a pitch to load the bases for a third time in the inning before an error on a ball hit by Goetz chased Spilman, Brogan and Shaneberger home. Scheeler would finish off the inning with an RBI double to score Goetz for a 15-6 lead.
The Greyhounds collected nine hits versus RPI with sophomore shortstop Maddisen Bieber going 2-for-2 with a run. Scheeler and Stanilious were each 2-for-3 with Stanilious driving in a pair of runs.
Sophomore Meghan Bauer made the start in the circle and allowed four runs, just one earned, on five hits and a walk to go with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings of action. Freshman Nicole Cassano tossed 1.1 innings with four unearned runs while Lesher came back to the circle to pitch the final 3.1 innings and allowed just two hits while recording one strikeout.
RPI jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, and the Engineers added a run in the top of the third for a 4-0 edge.
The Hounds plated four runs in the bottom half of the third inning to knot the score at 4-4. Bieber and Cassidy were both hit by pitches and Wehr hit an infield single to load the bases. Stanilious followed with a two-RBI single as Bieber and Cassidy scored, and an RBI ground out by Spilman brought Wehr home. Brogan followed with an RBI sacrifice fly as Stanilious tied the game.
RPI answered with a four-run fourth to move back in front, 8-4.
Moravian is scheduled to conclude its trip to the PFX Spring Games on Friday, March 8 with contests versus Alvernia University at 9:15 a.m. and Defiance (Ohio) College at 11:30 a.m.
