WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Senior Kristen George (Montoursville, Pa. / Montoursville Area) recorded three hits on her Senior Day to lead the Lycoming College softball team, which fell 4-0 and 6-3 in a Landmark Conference doubleheader against five-time defending conference champion Moravian University on Saturday, April 18 at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.
Lycoming (9-17, 5-9 Landmark) honored its six seniors before the twinbill against Moravian (21-9, 10-2 Landmark), which was the penultimate Landmark Conference series of the season.
In game one, the first three innings saw little offense, with the only major threat coming in the top of the third, when a pair of singles put two on with one out, but first year hurler Isabelle Engel (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore Area) retired the next two hitters to keep the game scoreless.
In the fourth, though, Kyra Holtje led off the inning for the Greyhounds with the a double to left center. Following a groundout, Sarah DeStefano snuck a ground ball through the right side of a drawn-in infield, scoring Holtje to give the Greyhounds a 1-0 lead.
Lycoming threatened in the fifth as sophomore Jocelyn McCracken (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore Area) singled with one out, then moved to second on an error that put a second runner on. However, DeStefano induced a pop-up and a strikeout to end the threat.
In the final two frames, Moravian added to their lead. Following an error to start the sixth, Holtje doubled off the fence in right-center, scoring Sydney Andrews from first. An inning later, Moravian strung together three straight one-out hits to score two runs.
Engel, McCracken, and senior Hailee Sobieski (Wharton, N.J. / Morris Cathoilc) each had a hit for the Warriors in game one. Engel pitched a complete game, allowing three earned runs on nine hits over seven innings.
Holjte doubled twice, drove in a run, and scored once for Moravian, which also got two RBIs from Chloros, and two hits from DeStefano, who spun a three-hit shutout with no walks and four strikeouts.
In game two, Holtje swatted a three-run home run in the first to put Moravian in front, 3-0.
In the bottom of the first, Sobieski snuck a two-out RBi single up the middle to score senior Claire Alexander (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area), closing the gap to two runs.
The Warriors drew within a run in the fourth, loading the bases with two outs for George, who singled up the middle to bring in a run, closing the gap to 3-2.
Moravian answered back in the fifth. Holtje singled with one out, stole second, moved to third, then scampered home on a wild pitch to stretch the Greyhound lead back to two runs.
Lycoming once more fought back to within a run in the sixth, as McCracken led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, George looped her third hit of the game, a line drive off the glove of the second baseman, scoring McCracken to trim the deficit back to 4-3.
The Greyhounds, though, got the final word in, as Holtje clobbered a two-run home run to right-center, her second of the contest, to provide the final margin in a 6-3 triumph for Moravian.
George finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and Sobieski went 2-for-4 with an RBI. McCracken singled and scored twice.
Holtje homered twice and drove in five in a 3-for-4 afternoon, while also allowing two runs over four innings in the circle to earn the win.
The Warriors will be back in action on Monday, April 20 for a non-conference doubleheader at Penn State Altoona. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. From Stewart Athletic Field.
