Wednesday, May 9, 2001

ANNVILLE, PA --- The NCAA Tournament-bound Moravian College softball team has had six players named to the 2001 Commonwealth Conference All-Star Teams announced Wednesday.

Junior pitcher Rachel Mowrey (Hellertown/Saucon Valley HS) and freshmen shortstop Melissa Soroka (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) and outfielder Janelle Brey (Allentown/Dieruff HS) were named to the First Team while junior second baseman Laurie Rentschler (Slatington/Northern Lehigh HS) and freshmen first baseman Jenn Hastings (Pottstown/Owen J. Roberts HS) and pitcher Donna Weiner (Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS) were honored with Second Team Selections.

The Greyhounds are currently 32-10 this season and will be participating in their fourth straight NCAA Division III East Regional this weekend.  Moravian is the number four seed in the region and will play fifth seeded Hunter (NY) College in first game of the regional on Friday, May 11^th beginning at 10 a.m.

The key to Moravian's success in 2001 has been the pitching staff, which despite 10 losses including three by the score of 1-0, ranks fifth in the nation with a 0.86 earned run average.  Mowrey, who was a second team all-star last season, leads the staff with a 16-3 record (two losses by one run in extra innings) and a 0.84 ERA.  Mowrey, who has tied the school record for wins in a season, has tossed 134 innings with 54 strikeouts and just 17 walks.  She has allowed 101 hits, 29 runs, 16 earned runs and opponents are hitting .203 off her.

Wiener has stepped right into a starting role this spring and has a 13-7 record and a 0.96 ERA.  Of Weiner's seven losses, five are by one run.  Weiner leads the Greyhound staff with 138 inning pitched and 75 strikeouts.  She has allowed 33 walks, 100 hits, 33 runs and just 19 earned runs.

At the plate, Moravian is being led by Soroka, Hastings and Brey.  Soroka leads the Greyhounds in most offensive categories with a .374 batting average, 147 at-bats, 32 runs scored, 55 hits two triples, 29 RBIs, 78 total bases (a single season Moravian record) and seven stolen bases.  Soroka has added eight doubles, three triples, three homeruns and 11 walks.  Hastings has a .358 batting average with 44 hits in 123 at-bats with 17 runs scored, 21 RBIs, three doubles and a triple.

Brey, who missed 14 games due to a broken hand, set several Moravian records in a limited season.  Brey tied the school record for Hhomeruns in a season with five and set the mark for homeruns in a game with two and for RBIs in a game with six.  The Greyhounds broke the single season record for homeruns with nine so far this spring.  Brey is hitting .344 with 31 hits in 90 at-bats.  She has added 17 runs scored, 24 RBIs and nine doubles.