CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Moravian College softball team won two games at the PFX Spring Games in Clermont, Florida Monday to improve to 4-0 as the Greyhounds defeated Neumann University, 11-1 in six innings, and Alvernia University, 6-3.
The Blue and Grey collected 11 hits in the Neumann contest. Senior center fielder Emily Stanilious was 3-for-4 with three runs, a triple and an RBI while junior catcher Brooke Wehr was 2-for-3 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Junior third baseman Maddisen Bieber went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs while sophomore pitcher Alexandria Scheeler and junior second baseman Shannon Brogan were both 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
Scheeler also improved to 2-0 in the circle as she allowed a run on five hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts in five innings of action. Junior Meghan Bauer tossed the final inning with a strikeout.
The Knights scored the opening run of the contest in the bottom of the second inning.
The Blue and Grey answered with a five-run top of the third to take the lead. Senior left fielder Samantha O'Keefe drew a walk to begin the frame and moved to third on an error. Stanilious connected on an RBI infield single to bring O'Keefe across the plate while Bieber ripped an RBI single to score freshman shortstop Alexis Agrapides. Stanilious raced home on an RBI single off of Scheeler's bat while Brogan had an RBI ground out that brought in Bieber. Senior first baseman Lauren Goetz drove in the final run of the inning with an RBI single that plated Scheeler.
Moravian tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth with two outs. Stanilious started the rally with a single before Wehr connected on an RBI double. Bieber and Brogan added RBI singles later in the inning.
The Greyhounds finished off the scoring in the opener with three more runs in the top of the sixth for the NCAA eight-run rule. Stanilious started the inning with a triple and scored when Bieber reached on an error. Scheeler drove in a run with an RBI ground out as did junior pinch hitter Maura Kane.
The Hounds added 10 more hits against the Golden Wolves with Scheeler going 2-for-3 with two runs and Stanilious going 2-for-4. Goetz added three RBIs and a home run in the victory.
Senior Paige Lesher also improved to 2-0 in the circle with three runs, two earned, on eight hits and three walks in six and a third innings. Bauer tossed the final two-thirds of an inning for her first save of the season.
Alvernia took a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Moravian would get onto the scoreboard with three runs in the bottom of the second for a 3-1 edge. Scheeler led off the frame with a single before Brogan reached on an error. Goetz followed with a three-run homer to center field, her 15th career home run to move into seventh in program history.
The Blue and Grey pushed the lead to 5-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning when Wehr led off with a double and scored on an RBI single by Scheeler. O'Keefe would chase Scheeler home with an RBI single.
The Hounds plated their final run of the afternoon in the bottom of the fourth when Stanilious singled, stole second and scored on an RBI single from Bieber for a 6-1 edge. The Golden Wolves added two runs at the top of the seventh before the Greyhounds recorded the final out.
Moravian has its off day of the week before returning to action on Wednesday, March 4 with games versus Johnson & Wales (R.I.) University at 10:15 a.m. and Eastern Nazarene (Mass.) College at 12:15 p.m. at the Spring Games.
