A second straight Commonwealth Conference Championship, a fourth consecutive berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, a school record 33 victories and a fourth place finish at the NCAA Division III East Regional highlighted another successful season for the Moravian College softball team.

Head coach John Byrne led the Greyhounds to a 33-12 record and earned his 200th career victory at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division III Leadoff Classic with a 9-1 victory #5 Pacific Lutheran University.  In eight seasons, Byrne has guided the Greyhounds to a 227-93 record, four NCAA Tournament appearances, three Commonwealth Conference titles and two Middle Atlantic Conference playoff appearances.The Greyhounds played one of the toughest schedules in the country this spring with ten of 45 games against teams ranked in the NCFA Top 25 at some point during the year.

The key for Moravian this season was its pitching staff, which, for the first time in school history, had an earned run average under 1.00.  The Greyhound pitchers posted a 0.90 ERA in 312 innings with 152 strikeouts and just 55 walks for the season.

Leading the squad was junior Rachel Mowrey (Hellertown/Saucon Valley HS) with a school record 17 wins.  Mowrey was 17-4 overall with a 0.90 ERA in 147 innings.  She struck out 62 batters and allowed just 18 walks, 111 hits, 33 runs and 19 earned runs.  Mowrey tossed 19 complete games and four shutouts.  She was named to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star First Team and the NFCA All-East Region Second Team.

Freshman hurler Donna Weiner (Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS) had a 0.97 ERA in her debut season with a 13-8 record.  Weiner had 78 strikeouts and 38 walks in 144 innings of action while allowing 106 hits, 34 runs and 20 earned runs.  Weiner, who tossed 18 complete games and three shutouts, was named to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star Second Team.

The Greyhounds other pitchers were sophomore Jill Simms (Hampton, NJ/Voorhees HS) and freshman Jessica Naugle (Mohrsville/Schuylkill Valley HS).  Simms had a 0.00 ERA in nine innings of work.  She had a 1-0 record, three strikeouts, one walk, four hits, two runs and no earned runs.  Naugle posted a 0.58 ERA and a 2-0 record in 12 innings.  She had nine strikeouts while walking two and allowing 10 hits, three runs and one earned run.

At the plate, the Greyhounds were led by freshman shortstop Melissa Soroka (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS).  Soroka hit .359 in her debut season with 56 hits in a school record 156 at-bats.  She had team highs with 80 total bases (a school record), 33 runs scored, 29 RBIs, nine stolen bases and three triples.  Soroka added 12 walks, nine doubles and three homeruns.  Soroka was named to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star First Team.

Freshman Jenn Hastings (Pottstown/Owen J. Roberts HS), who played in the outfield, at first base and as the designated player, hit .354 with 46 hits in 130 at-bats in her first season with Moravian.  Hastings added 23 RBIs, 19 runs scored, three doubles and a triple.  She was named to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star Second Team and the NFCA All-East Region Third Team.

Freshman outfielder Janelle Brey (Allentown/Dieruff HS) had an outstanding debut season for Moravian despite missing a month with a broken hand.  Brey led the Greyhounds with a school record-tying five homeruns and she tied for the team lead in doubles with 10.  She hit .350 with 35 hits in 100 at-bats while scoring 20 runs and driving in 24 more.  Brey was named to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star First Team.  Moravian set a school record with nine homeruns this season.

Junior second baseman Laurie Rentschler (Slatington/Northern Lehigh HS) had a .293 batting average with 36 hits in 122 at-bats.  Rentschler added 22 runs scored, 17 RBIs, 13 sacrifices and four doubles.  She was named to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star Second Team as well as the NCAA Division III East Regional All-Tournament Team and the MAC All-Academic Team.

Junior first baseman/designated player Debbie Noble (Cranford, NJ/Cranford HS) collected 37 hits in 124 at-bats for a .298 batting average for the Greyhounds this season with 21 runs scored, 15 RBIs, 14 walks and 10 doubles.  Noble needs just six hits in her senior season to become the 10th player in school history to surpass 100 career hits.

Junior catcher Stacy Matuczinski (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) led the Greyhounds in sacrifices with 14 for the second straight year.  Matuczinski, who needs just two hits in her senior year to surpass 100 for her career, had 34 hits in 129 at-bats with 16 runs scored, 16 RBIs and two doubles.  She was the toughest Greyhound to strikeout this season with just two strikeouts in 149 plate appearances.

Junior outfielder Summer Miller (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional HS) collected 30 hits in 128 at-bats with 20 runs scored, 15 RBIs, five doubles and one triple this season.  Junior outfielder Sarah Leiby (Fleetwood/Fleetwood HS) added 27 hits in 114 at-bats with 12 runs scored, 14 walks, nine RBIs and five doubles.  Leiby was named to the NCAA Division III East Regional All-Tournament Team while Miller was on the MAC All-Academic Team.

Moravian’s only senior on the squad this season was outfielder Missy Hummel (Walnutport/ Northampton HS), who was bothered all season by injuries and missed 22 games including the final 13 contests.  Hummel had 17 hits and 18 runs scored.  She finished her career with 128 hits, a .338 batting average and 89 runs scored.  Sophomore infielder Kim Gehman (Topton/Brandywine Heights HS) missed the entire season due to an off-season ankle injury that required surgery.

Freshman third baseman Megan Smith (Phillipsburg, NJ/Belvidere HS) had 18 hits in 62 at-bats with 14 runs scored, three RBIs and two doubles in her debut season.  Freshman outfielder Jessica Esposito (Madison, NJ/Madison HS) had 15 hits in 83 at-bats with 12 runs scored, 10 RBIs, one double and one homerun.

With all but one player back next season and a strong recruiting class, the Greyhounds will look for their third straight Commonwealth Conference Championship, a fifth straight berth in the NCAA Tournament and a first-ever berth in the College World Series next spring.