COLUMBUS, Ga. --- The No. 6 Moravian University softball team won two of three games on the opening day of the season at the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Leadoff Classic as the Hounds defeated No. 21 Central (Iowa) College, 10-4, and Illinois Wesleyan University, 5-2, and fell to Babson (Mass.) University, 2-1 Saturday.

How It Happened – Central (Iowa)

• The Greyhounds jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning versus Central. Junior third baseman Holly Walter drew a leadoff walk and raced home on an RBI single by senior first baseman Lindsey Gawrys. Later in the inning, junior centerfielder Sage Snyder connected on an RBI double to score Gawrys
• The Dutch countered with a run in the bottom of the inning to make it a 2-1 contest
• The Blue & Grey put two more runs on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning. Senior pitcher Madi Cunningham was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Walter while Gawrys had an RBI single the plated senior shortstop Ajala Elmore
• Central scored the next run in the fourth inning to cut the Hounds' advantage to 4-2
• Moravian pushed three runs across the plate in the top of the fifth for a 7-2 lead. Sophomore designated player Marcie Silberman led off with a double before freshman Emma Grace Pachkowski came in to pinch run. Pachkowski raced home on an RBI single by Cunningham while junior left fielder Jessica Forder connected on an RBI double to score Snyder. Elmore finished off the inning with an RBI sacrifice fly as Cunningham crossed the plate
• The Dutch added two runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-4
• The Greyhounds finished off the scoring with three runs in the top of the sixth frame. Senior catcher Mya Zettlemoyer and Gawrys drew walks before Silberman connected on a three-run homer
• Cunningham earned the win in the circle, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks to go along with three strikeouts 

How It Happened – Babson (Mass.)

• Babson took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning
• Moravian scored in the fifth frame to knot the contest at 1-1. Walter led off the inning with a single, and she raced home on an RBI single to center by Silberman
• Babson retook a one-run edge in the top of the seventh
• Sophomore Sarah DeStefano started in the circle and allowed a run on two hits to go with a strikeout in two innings of action while sophomore Sydney Andrews tossed five innings with a run on four hits to go with a pair of strikeouts

How It Happened – Illinois Wesleyan

• The Hounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame. Walter drew a walk to start the inning, and she raced home on an RBI single off Snyder's bat
• The Blue & Grey stretched the edge to 3-0 in the second inning as sophomore pitcher Natalie Otto walked before Elmore ripped a two-run homer
• Moravian pushed the advantage to 5-0 with two more runs in the third frame. Silberman began the inning with a solo home run while DeStefano ripped an RBI single to bring in Snyder, who had walked after the home run
• Illinois Wesleyan got onto the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning
• Otto made the start in the circle, and she allowed two runs on three hits and a pair of walks to go with six strikeouts

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian had 23 hits on the day with Elmore going 6-for-8 with two runs, three RBIs and a homer, her sixth career home run
• Silberman collected four hits including a pair of home runs to give her eight career homers, and she added two runs and five RBIs
• Gawrys added three hits, two runs and two RBIs while Walter had two hits, three runs and an RBI
• Snyder recorded two hits, two runs, two RBIs and a double while DeStefano posted two hits with a triple and an RBI
• Cunningham scored twice and had a hit and an RBI, and Forder registered a hit and an RBI while senior designated player Emily Silberman and freshman outfielder Shayla Morgan both had a hit

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Sunday, March 3 vs. No. 11 Bethel (Minn.) University and Chapman (Calif.) University at 2024 NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
• Wednesday, March 13 at King's College (DH), 3:00 p.m.