The Moravian College softball team finished its 2008 season in the Landmark Conference Championship Tournament by winning the conference championship over Catholic University 7-0. This is the ninth straight season the Greyhounds have won a conference championship. The Greyhounds under the direction of 15-year head coach John Byrne, who has a career mark of 475-147, posted a 33-6 overall record in 2008, the 15th consecutive season that Moravian has won at least 23 games, and a 12-0 mark in the inaugural Landmark Conference campaign. The Greyhounds, which have won over 30 games ten times under Byrne, including the last eight years, were in the postseason for the 14th consecutive season. Byrne and his staff were named the 2008 Landmark Conference Coaching Staff of the Year.

Leading the Greyhounds was senior second baseman Beth Paly (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall HS) who posted a .418 batting average to go along with 51 hits, eight doubles, two triples, 22 RBIs, two walks, and one stolen base in her last season. Paly, pictured at right, is ranked in the Greyhounds record books in several categories including third games played in a career (171), tied for first in games played in a season (46), fifth in at-bats in a season (148), third in at-bats in a career (532), tied for third in hits in a career (190), tied for fourth doubles in a career (34), fourth in RBIs in a career (94) and the second longest hitting streak at 18 games, which occurred this season. Play was also named to the 2008 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-East Region First Team, the 2008 Landmark Softball All-Conference First Team, the 2008 Landmark Conference Player of the Year and Moravian’s 2008 Outstanding Senior Female Athlete.

Junior pitcher Maria DeBonis (Nazareth, PA/Notre Dame HS), pictured at left, contributed a .348 batting average with 32 hits, eight doubles, one triple, six home runs, 29 RBIs, ten walks, and one stolen base. In the circle, DeBonis posted a 0.72 ERA including 74 hits, 43 walks, 192 strikeouts, seven shutouts, four no-hitters – three of which were perfect games and a 19-3 record in 146 innings of action. DeBonis was named to the 2008 Landmark Softball All-Conference First Team, the 2008 Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Year and the 2008 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-East Region First Team.

Also in the circle for the Greyhounds was freshman Elizabeth Python (Huntington Station, NY/Walt Whitman HS) who had a 1.65 ERA to go along with 83 hits, 17 walks, 76 strike outs, eight shutouts, two no hitters – one of which was a perfect game, and a 14-3 record in 110 innings on the year. Python was named to the 2008 Landmark Softball All-Conference First Team, and the 2008 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year.

Junior outfielder Erica Klepeisz (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth HS) knocked in a .345 batting average with 39 hits, eight doubles, three triples, 23 RBIs, seven walks, and a team leading six stolen bases. Klepeisz was named to the 2008 Landmark Softball All-Conference First Team, and the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division Softball Third Team. Senior third basemen Kelly Santry (Hatboro, PA/Upper Moreland HS) added a .381 batting average to go along with 37 hits, eight doubles, one home run, 21 RBIs, seven walks, and two stolen bases. Santry was also named to the 2008 Landmark Softball All-Conference First Team and to the 2008 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-East Region First Team.

Senior outfielder Megan Ritchey (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown HS) ended out her collegiate career with a .355 batting average, 33 hits, 11 doubles, three home runs, 17 RBIs, nine walks, and five stolen bases while freshman outfielder Amanda Paulus (Easton, PA/Easton HS) recorded a .317 average, 26 hits, one double, two triples, three home runs, 19 RBIs, seven walks, and five stolen bases. Ritchey, pictured at right, was named to the 2008 Landmark Softball All-Conference First Team while Paulus was named to the 2008 Landmark Softball All-Conference Second Team.

Freshman third basemen Maura Agnew (Doylestown, PA/Lansdale Catholic HS) had a .328 batting average with 21 hits, four doubles, one triple, three home runs, 15 RBIs and one stolen base while junior first basemen Sheri Bieniek (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley HS) got 25 hits, six doubles, two home runs, nine walks, and 16 RBIs for a .294 batting average. Freshman shortstop Stephanie Falzarano (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield HS) put up 32 hits, seven doubles, eight RBIs, eight walks, and five stolen bases in her collegiate debut season while junior catcher Deanna Mangieri (Pleasantville, NY/Byram Hills HS) knocked in nine RBIs, one home run, and two doubles on the year.

Freshman first basemen Jennifer Schmitt (Mendham, NJ/Mendham HS) recorded a .310 batting average to go along with nine hits, three doubles, six RBIs and two stolen bases while sophomore catcher Kelly Maressa (Allentown, PA/William Allen HS) had a .385 batting average off of five hits, one home run and four RBIs. Freshman outfielder Megan Boyle (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield HS) completed a .375 batting average including three hits, one doubles, one homer and five RBIs while junior second basemen Katie Agnew (Doylestown, PA/Lansdale Catholic HS) added five hits, three doubles three RBIs and one stolen base.

Sophomore first basemen Danielle Massa (Livingston, NJ/Livingston HS) had two hits on the year while sophomore outfielder Katie Flood (Branchburg, NJ/Somerville HS) had one hit, one double, one RBI and one stolen base. Freshman pitcher/first basemen Amie Ballo (Andes, NY/Andes Central HS) had one hit and on the mound she threw two innings and had one strike out.

Paly, DeBonis, Klepeisz, Ritchey, Katie Agnew, Mangieri and Danielle Massa were all named to the 2008 Landmark Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll.

Coach Byrne loses three valuable players off the 2008 squad but with strong returning players for the 2009 season, the Greyhounds look to continue postseason streak in the Landmark Conference.

Story written by Nick Pepi '10.