CLERMONT, Fla. – The John Carroll University softball team opened its 2020 campaign on Sunday against Moravian College and Eastern Nazarene College, dropping both games in extra innings. The Blue Streaks fell to the Greyhounds, 8-3, in nine innings and then dropped another close game to the Lions, 1-0, in eight innings.
 
MORAVIAN 8, JOHN CARROLL 3 - 9 innings
With senior pitcher Jenn Patterson on the mound and three quick outs, JCU went right to work during their first at bat. Sophomore catcher Kristen Jesberger loaded the bases with a single up the middle, moving sophomore outfielder Crista Nativio and sophomore outfielder Emma Gurley to third and second respectively. Nativio reached with a single up the middle while Gurley was walked. Senior third baseman Elizabeth Fraas brought Nativio home on a ground out to shortstop to score the first run of the game and season.
 
Moravian answered in the top of the third with two hits and a run of their own to even the score.
 
Neither team was able to knock another run in and needed extra innings. The Greyhounds scored first in the top of the eighth on a sac fly but the Blue Streaks responded in the home half of the eighth on a sacrifice fly of their own to even the score at 2-2.
 
Moravian sealed the deal in the top of the ninth after exploding with six runs. The six-run deficit proved to be too much for John Carroll as the Blue Streaks were only able to bring one home.
 
 
EASTERN NAZARENE 1, JOHN CARROLL 0 – 8 innings
Directly after the battle with Moravian, John Carroll headed back onto the field to take on Eastern Nazarene.
 
As the visitors, it wasn't until the top of the fifth that JCU put a runner in scoring position. Sophomore catcher Kasyn Scarantine tallied the first hit for the Blue Streaks with a single out to center field and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Alee Burke. However, Scarantine was left stranded as the third out was recorded.
 
John Carroll looked to bring the first runner of the game home in the top of the sixth. With runners at first and third, Gurley hit what looked to be a sacrifice hit to third base. Freshman outfielder Gracie Bressoud ran home on the throw from third to first but was called out on the play. After being called out at first, Gurley was called for interfering with the throw from first to home, thus the second out on Bressoud.
 
The pitching duel continued until Eastern Nazarene scored with bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth on a single through the middle.
 
John Carroll returns to action tomorrow. The Blue Streaks will first take on Saint Vincent College at 10:15 a.m. and then Misericordia University at 2:30 p.m.

Updates regarding JCU's spring break games can be found on The Spring Games app in addition to the Facebook fan group. Merchandise and tickets can also be preordered online at www.thespringgames.com.