BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The No. 12 Moravian College softball team swept Juniata College, 12-1 in five innings and 5-2, in Landmark Conference action Saturday at Blue & Grey Field on Senior Day to reach the 30-win plateau for the fifth straight season and the 20th time under 26-year Head Coach John Byrne.
The Greyhounds, who finish the regular season at 31-5 overall and 11-1 in Landmark Conference contests, had 14 hits in the opener with freshman pitcher Alexandria Scheeler going 3-for-3 with three RBIs, a double and a pair of runs scored. Sophomore shortstop Maddisen Bieber went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while senior left fielder Kat Spilman and freshman center fielder Cameron Cassidy each had two RBIs.
Scheeler improved to 12-2 in the circle as she allowed an unearned run on five hits to go with four strikeouts in the victory.
The Hounds jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore catcher Brooke Wehr led off with a triple and scored on an RBI fielder's choice hit by Spilman. Scheeler drove in Spilman with an RBI single while Bieber had an RBI single up the middle to score senior second baseman Kaela Kane. Junior first baseman Lauren Goetz hit a bases loaded infield single to bring in Scheeler while Cassidy finished the inning with a two RBI double as Bieber and senior third baseman Madison Shaneberger crossed the plate.
Juniata would get a run in the top of the second inning.
Moravian responded with five runs in the bottom of the third inning. Wehr reached on an error with two outs and scored on an RBI triple by junior right fielder Emily Stanilious while Spilman connected on an RBI single to bring in Stanilious. Scheeler would connect on a two-RBI double down the right field line as Spilman and Kane scored while Bieber finished off the inning with an RBI single to bring Scheeler home.
The Blue and Grey finished off the scoring with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Senior outfielder Ashley Gindle was hit by a pitch and eventually raced home on a pinch hit, RBI single by freshman Taylor Sanders.
Moravian would collect eight hits in the second contest with Stanilious, Goetz and Cassidy each going 2-for-3 and Wehr going 2-for-4. Goetz added two RBIs and a double while Stanilious had an RBI and a double.
Junior Paige Lesher improved to 16-1 in the circle as she allowed two runs on three hits and two walks to go with one strikeout in 5.1 innings of action. Sophomore Meghan Bauer came in to record her third save of the season with four strikeouts in five batters faced.
The Greyhounds opened the scoring with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Cassidy led off with a single and eventually beat a throw to the plate on a bases loaded, RBI fielder's choice hit by Scheeler that also allowed Stanilious to score. After a walk by Shaneberger, the third base on balls of the inning, Goetz hit a two-RBI single to score Spilman and Scheeler.
Moravian added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning for a 5-0 edge. Wehr connected on a one-out double to right center field, and she raced home when Stanilious followed with an RBI double to left center.
The Eagles scored twice in the top of the sixth inning before Bauer came in to earn the save.
Prior to the game, the Hounds honored Julia DeMarco, Gindle, Kane, Shaneberger and Spilman on Senior Day.
The Greyhounds have earned the top seed and will host the 2019 Landmark Conference Tournament at Blue & Grey Field on Friday and Saturday, May 3-4. Moravian will play fourth seed The University of Scranton in the opening game at 11:00 a.m. Friday morning to begin the tournament while second seed The Catholic University of America and third seed Susquehanna University are slated to play at 1:00 p.m. Friday.
