#18 Moravian Drops First Conference Game of Year as They Split With Catholic
The 18th-ranked Moravian College softball team dropped its first Landmark Conference game of the 2011 season, falling to host The Catholic University of America, 5-4, in the opening game of a doubleheader Saturday but the Greyhounds bounced back to take the second game 5-0.
The 18th-ranked Moravian College softball team dropped its first Landmark Conference game of the 2011 season, falling to host The Catholic University of America, 5-4, in the opening game of a doubleheader Saturday but the Greyhounds bounced back to take the second game 5-0.
Moravian heads into its final conference doubleheader at home next Saturday against Susquehanna University needing to win two games to host the Landmark Conference Tournament for the fourth straight year.
In the opener, the Greyhounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Freshman catcher Cassie Ernst hit a one-out single and scored on an RBI single from senior second baseman Stephanie Falzarano. Falzarano scored later in the inning on an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Shannen Mohr.
Moravian scored two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to push the lead to 4-0. Junior pitcher Jenna Carmon led off the stanza with a walk, and she scored on an RBI double from senior Amanda Paulus, pictured at left, and Paulus also scored on the play on an error.
Catholic answered in the bottom half of the fourth with five runs to take the lead. Pitcher Erin McMakin drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI single while first baseman Nina Victoria Curto and third baseman Taylor Stockinger each had two-RBI singles to give the Cardinals the lead.
The Greyhounds put runners on second and third in the top of the fifth but were unable to score while Catholic loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth and didn't score.
Both teams had seven hits in the first contest with freshman outfielder Miranda Sergas, pictured at left, going two-for-three to lead Moravian. Falzarano was two-for-four in the game for the Greyhounds with a run and an RBI. McMakin and Curto were each two-for-three for Catholic with Curto adding two RBIs.
Carmon took the loss in the circle for the Greyhounds, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of action. Senior Elizabeth Python finished off the game for Moravian with a hit, a walk and four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings of action.
McMakin earned the win for the Cardinals, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits and two walks to go along with two strikeouts.
The Greyhounds opened the second game with two runs in the top of the first. Sergas singled with an out and freshman designated player Taylor Mihalik was hit by a pitch. Mohr followed with a two-RBI single to get Moravian on the scoreboard.
Moravian added a run in the top of the sixth inning for a 3-0 lead when sophomore pinch runner Samantha Mulderig scored on a passed ball.
The Greyhounds finished off the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Sergas led off with a single and moved to third on a one-out single from Mohr. After the second out of the inning, sophomore first baseman Amanda Dizinno connected on a two-RBI single.
Moravian had an 11-5 edge in hits in the second game with Mohr going three-for-three with two RBIs. Sergas and Dizinno were each two-for-four with Sergas scoring twice and Dizinno driving in two runs while Ernst was two-for-three. Outfielder Mel Galella led Catholic with a two-for-three performance.
Python improved to 10-0 in the circle for the Greyhounds with her team leading fifth shutout of the season. Python allowed hit hits and two walks while striking out a career high ten batters.
Kerri Apicella took the loss for Catholic, giving up five runs, four earned, on 11 hits and two walks with one strikeout in 6 2/3 innings. McMakin came in to strikeout the final Moravian batter of the game.
