Wednesday, May 8, 2002

MORAVIAN PLACES EIGHT ON COMMONWEALTH SOFTBALL ALL-STAR TEAMS;
GREYHOUNDS SWEEP MOST VALUABLE AWARDS

ANNVILLE, PA --- The Moravian College softball team, which is heading to the NCAA Division III East Regional this weekend for the fifth straight year, placed eight players on the 2002 Commonwealth Conference All-Star Teams with five first team selections and three second team honorees. The Greyhounds also had the Player, Freshman, Pitcher and Coach of the Year in the conference as voted on by the conference coaches.

Moravian won the 2002 Commonwealth Conference Championship last weekend, their third straight title. The Greyhounds are currently ranked 20th in the nation and have a 34-6 record, a school record for victories. Head coach John Byrne, who is in his ninth season with an overall record of 261-99, was named the Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons.

Earning first team accolades were freshman shortstop Heather Bortz (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS), who was also the Freshman of the Year, sophomore third baseman Janelle Brey (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS), who was the Player of the Year, senior first baseman Sarah Leiby (Fleetwood, PA/Fleetwood HS), senior pitcher Rachel Mowrey (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley HS), who was also the Pitcher of the Year, and sophomore pitcher Donna Weiner (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS).

Senior second baseman Laurie Rentschler (Slatington, PA/Northern Lehigh HS) and sophomore outfielders Jessica Esposito (Madison, NJ/Madison HS) and Melissa Soroka (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) were all named to the Commonwealth Conference Second Team.

Bortz leads the team with a .426 batting average despite missing six games this season. Bortz has 49 hits on the year and she is tied for the team lead with 32 runs. She has also contributed 13 RBIs, 12 stolen bases and two triples. Brey is hitting .357 on the year with 41 hits.  She leads the Greyhounds in most other offensive categories having broken the school records for RBIs (51), home runs (10), doubles (15) and total bases (88). Brey also leads Moravian with 32 runs scored and she has added 13 walks. Leiby is hitting .396 with 42 hits, 20 runs, 17 RBIs, 11 walks, six doubles and a home run in her final season. Leiby moved from the outfield to first base this season.

Mowrey, who is 16-3 on the season and won her 50th career game in last weekend's Commonwealth Conference Championship Game, has posted a 0.99 ERA with seven shutouts, 47 strikeouts and just ten walks in 127 2/3 innings of action. Weiner is 12-3 on the year with a 1.34 ERA, three shutouts, 16 walks and 27 strikeouts in 94 1/3 innings.

Rentschler is hitting .337 with 28 hits, 19 runs scored, 12 RBIs and four doubles while Esposito is hitting .393 for the Greyhounds with 42 hits, 30 runs scored, 28 RBIs, ten doubles, a triple and two homers. Soroka hitting .347 with 42 hits, 30 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 13 walks, 14 RBIs, six doubles and a homer, a grand slam to clinch the Commonwealth Conference title game.