#18 Moravian Edges Kean, 8-7 & 9-7 in Doubleheader
The 18th-ranked Moravian College softball team posted is sixth straight doubleheader sweep and extended its winning streak to 13 games with a pair of non-conference wins, 8-7 & 9-7, at Kean University Sunday afternoon. The Greyhounds also reached the 20-win plateau for the 18th straight season, all under 18-year head coach John Byrne.
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
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0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 1 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 2 |
The 18th-ranked Moravian College softball team posted is sixth straight doubleheader sweep and extended its winning streak to 13 games with a pair of non-conference wins, 8-7 & 9-7, at Kean University Sunday afternoon. The Greyhounds also reached the 20-win plateau for the 18th straight season, all under 18-year head coach John Byrne.
In the opening game, Moravian jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Sophomore infielder Shannen Mohr led off with inning with a single, and she scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by senior outfielder Amanda Paulus. Freshman outfielder Miranda Sergas, pictured at right, then connected on a two-run homer, her first collegiate home run, that also scored freshman catcher Cassie Ernst, who was hit by a pitch.
The Cougars would cut Moravian's lead to 3-2 with two runs on the bottom of the third inning on a two-run homer from shortstop Alicia Banz.
The Greyhounds scored three more times in the top of the fourth inning for a 6-2 lead when Sergas connected on a three-run homer to score Mohr and Paulus, who had both walked.
Kean score a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Banz, and the Cougars scored four times in the bottom of the fifth for a 7-6 lead. Third baseman Courtney Melchionna had an RBI single before Banz tied the game with a two-RBI single. An infield single by second baseman Katie Schuh allowed outfielder Megan Cegielski to score the go ahead run.
Moravian would tie the game at 6-6 in the top of the sixth inning when freshman infielder Eavan Matz scored on an RBI single from senior infielder Stephanie Falzarano. The hit for Falzarano was the 150th of her career, the ninth player in school history to reach 150 career hits.
The Greyhounds scored the winning run in the top of the seventh inning when freshman designated player Taylor Mihalik led off with a doubles and scored on a one-out RBI double by Mohr.
Kean had a 13-9 edge in hits in the first game with Banz going five-for-five with five RBIs and her homer. Cegielski was three-for-four with two runs while designated player Kelly Moorehead was two-for-three. Schuh was two-for-five. Sergas led Moravian with a two-for-three performance, five RBIs, two runs and two home runs. Mihalik was three-for-four while Mohr was two-for-three with a pair of runs.
Senior Elizabeth Python improved to 5-0 with a four-inning relief performance for the Greyhounds, allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Junior Jenna Carmon started in the circle for the Greyhounds and gave up two runs on six hits and a walk with one strikeout in three innings of action.
Courtney Smyth took the loss for the Cougars with eight runs, seven earned on nine hits and two walks in a complete game.
Kean would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of the second game when Banz led off the inning with a solo home run.
Moravian answered and took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Sergas reached on an error and Paulus singled with two outs before sophomore pitcher Alyssa Fegely connected on a two-RBI double.
The Greyhounds pushed its lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the third inning on an RBI double by Mihalik that scored Falzarano.
Moravian's lead was extended to 7-1 with four runs in the top half of the fourth. Sergas would get into a rundown on a ground ball hit by Fegely, and she beat the throw to the plate to score before Falzarano connected on a two-RBI single to score Fegely and Paulus. Falzarano would eventually score on a Kean error.
The Cougars would get a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Moorehead lead off the inning with a solo homer.
The Greyhounds pushed two runs home in the top of the fifth for a 9-2 lead. Mohr led off with a single and after a pair of outs, Paulus, pictured at right, connected on a two-run homer, her second of the season.
Kean scored five times in the bottom half of the fifth to pull within a pair of runs at 9-7. Outfielder Sandra Binkiewicz had an RBI single before first baseman Katie Yard connected on a grand slam home run.
Moravian finished the second game with an 11-10 edge in hits with Paulus going three-for-four with three runs and two RBIs. Falzarano was two-for-four with two runs and a pair of RBIs while Mihalik was two-for-four for the Greyhounds. Schuh went three-for-three to lead Kean while Binkiewicz was two-for-four. Yard was one-for-four for the Cougars with a game high four RBIs.
Fegely improved to 7-2 in the circle for Moravian, allowing seven runs on eight hits and four walks to go with a strikeout in 4 1/3 innings. Carmon picked up her first save of the season after giving up two hits and striking out two batters in 2 2/3 inning of action.
Kean used two pitchers with Rebecca Rotola taking the loss after nine runs, six earned, on ten hits with one strikeout in 4 2/3 innings.
