May 14, 2026
Greyhounds Open NCAA DIII Bethlehem, Pa. Regional with 6-2 Win over Bowdoin (Maine)
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University softball team opened the 2026 NCAA Division III Bethlehem, Pa. Regional with a 6-2 victory over Bowdoin (Maine) College at Blue & Grey Field Thursday to advance to the Winner’s Bracket game on Friday.
Bowdoin (Maine) College
27-10
2
Moravian University
33-10
6
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
|
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 6 | 8 | 2 |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University softball team opened the 2026 NCAA Division III Bethlehem, Pa. Regional with a 6-2 victory over Bowdoin (Maine) College at Blue & Grey Field Thursday to advance to the Winner's Bracket game on Friday.
How It Happened
- The Polar Bears opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning for a quick 1-0 lead
- The Greyhounds countered with four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 edge. Freshman left fielder Natalie Chloros and senior third baseman Sydney Andrews drew walks to get the inning started. After a pair of strikeouts, Chloros and Andrews moved up on a passed ball. Senior pitcher Sarah DeStefano gave herself the lead with a two-RBI single up the middle as Chloros and Andrews both raced home. Senior shortstop Samantha Derickson followed with an RBI double off the wall in center field as DeStefano circled the bases. After a walk from sophomore first baseman Kaley Hoffman, sophomore catcher Sydney Scarpato delivered an RBI single to score Derickson. Junior center fielder Shayla Morgan drew a walk to load the bases as Moravian batted around in the inning, but the Hounds were unable to add any more runs
- Bowdoin cut the score to 4-2 with another run in the top of the second frame
- The Blue & Grey finished the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Chloros drew a leadoff walk on an 11-pitch at-bat, and Andrews moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Holtje followed with a two-run homer to straight away center field, her team-leading seventh home run of the season and 11th of her career
- DeStefano tossed a complete game in the circle, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits and two walks to go with three strikeouts as she improved to 16-6 on the season
- The Hounds advance to the winner's bracket game versus top seed and No. 21 Westfield State (Mass.) University, which defeated SUNY Cortland, 2-1, in the first game Thursday as the Owls improved to 39-1 on the season
Inside the Numbers
- Moravian registered eight hits in the contest with DeStefano going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run
- Holtje was 1-for-3 with her home run, two RBIs and a run while Chloros was 1-for-2 with two runs
- Derickson posted a double, a run and an RBI while Scarpato added a hit and an RBI
- Hoffman recorded a hit while Andrews scored once
NCAA Regional History
- The win was the Greyhounds' fourth straight victory in the first game of an NCAA Regional, and the program's last first day loss was back in 2018 at The College of New Jersey when the Blue & Grey bounced back with four consecutive wins to capture the regional title
- Moravian is now 17-5 all-time in the first game of the NCAA Tournament as the Greyhounds are competing in a regional for the 22nd time in program history, all since 1998
Up Next for the Greyhounds
- Friday, May 15 vs. No. 21 Westfield State (Mass.) University in 2026 NCAA Division III Bethlehem, Pa. Regional, 11:00 a.m.
