SCRANTON, Pa. --- The No. 14 Moravian College softball team clinched its 25th consecutive postseason appearance with a sweep at The University of Scranton by scores of 5-1 and 4-3 Sunday afternoon.
The Greyhounds, now 23-3 this spring and 8-0 in Landmark Conference play after the squad's eighth straight doubleheader sweep and 18th consecutive win, will be in the Landmark Conference tournament for the 12th time as the squad has won at least 23 games in each of 26-year Head Coach John Byrne's seasons leading the program with now 25 straight squads reaching the postseason.
The Blue and Grey had seven hits in the opening game with freshman pitcher Alexandria Scheeler going 2-for-3. Junior right fielder Emily Stanilious was 2-for-4 in the contest while sophomore catcher Brooke Wehr and senior left fielder Kat Spilman each connected on two-run homers.
Scheeler improved to 10-0 in the circle in her debut season with one run on nine hits and a walk.
The Greyhounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Stanilious singled with one out and Spilman connected on her third home run of the season to left field and the 23rd round-tripper of her career to move into a tie for third in the Moravian record books.
The Royals would cut the lead to a run when they scored in the bottom of the first inning.
The Hounds scored three insurance runs in the top of the seventh for the 5-1 win. Sophomore shortstop Maddisen Bieber led off with a single before senior Ashley Gindle came in to pinch run. After an out and a passed ball, Gindle would beat a throw home on an RBI pinch-hit fielder's choice by freshman Emily Groarke. Freshman center fielder Cameron Cassidy reentered the game before Wehr connected on a two-run homer to right center field, her sixth homer of the spring and the 18th of her career to move into fifth all-time.
Moravian had eight more hits in the second game with Bieber going 2-for-3 and Stanilious having a 2-for-4 game. Scheeler added a three-RBI double while junior first baseman Lauren Goetz hit her team-leading ninth home run of the season.
Junior Paige Lesher improved to 12-1 in the circle as she allowed three runs on 10 hits and a walk to go with one strikeout in six-plus innings of action. Sophomore Meghan Bauer came in during the seventh inning and struck out one batter while earning her first career save.
The game was scoreless until Scranton scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Goetz made the lead short-lived as she led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run to left field, her 12th career homer. After an out, Wehr and Stanilious singled. Spilman reached on a fielder's choice as Wehr was out on the play but sophomore second baseman Shannon Brogan walked to load the bases. Scheeler then ripped a three-RBI double to left center field as Stanilious, Spilman and Brogan all crossed the plate.
The Royals scored twice with no outs and had two runners on with one in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh inning when Bauer came on to record the final three outs to end the contest.
Moravian is slated to return to action on Thursday, April 11 when the squad hosts rival Muhlenberg College in a non-conference doubleheader at Blue & Grey Field in Bethlehem with first pitch of the opener set for 3:00 p.m.
