Monday, May 3, 2004

GREYHOUND SOFTBALL SQUAD PREPARES FOR ITS SEVENTH STRAIGHT
NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College softball team will be heading to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the seventh consecutive season as the Greyhounds have the top seed in the 2004 Regional Tournament hosted by Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah, New Jersey.

The tournament begins on Friday, May 7th with fourth seeded Union (NY) College (21-3), the champions of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference and one of eight schools nationwide to receive a bid as an independent school, taking on fifth seed the College of Staten Island (18-12-1), the City University of New York Conference Champion at 10:00 a.m. Second seeded Ramapo (33-6), the runner-up in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and one of two at-large berths in the nation, will play third seed Allegheny College (22-14) from the North Coast Athletic Conference at 12:00 p.m.

The Greyhounds (34-4) will play the winner of the Union-Staten Island at 2:00 p.m. The losers of the first two games will play in the first elimination game of the regional at 4:00 p.m.
The tournament will run through Sunday with the champion earning one of eight berths in the NCAA Division III World Series in Salem, Virginia, which begins on Friday, May 14th. Saturday’s action will begin at 11:00 a.m. as well while Sunday will begin at 12:00 p.m.

The Greyhounds under the direction of 11-year head coach John Byrne, who as a career mark of 327-115, have posted a 34-3 record this spring, the 11th consecutive season the team has won at least 23 games and tying the school record for wins in a season. Moravian was also 14-0 in the Commonwealth Conference regular season. The Greyhounds, which have won over 30 games six times under Byrne including the last four years, are in the NCAA tournament for the seventh straight year and the postseason for the tenth consecutive season.

One of the keys for the Greyhounds again this season has been their pitching staff, which has a 1.17 ERA, 15 shutouts, 219 strikeouts, 176 hits allowed and just 75walks allowed in 257 innings.
Sophomore pitcher Meagan Hennessy (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township HS) has posted a 17-2 record with a school record nine shutouts and three saves. Hennessy, who started the season 15-0, has a 0.88 ERA in 136 innings of work, and she has allowed just 82 hits and 33 walks while striking out 140 batters. Hennessy has tied the school record for wins in a season with 17 and became just the second pitcher in school history with 300 strikeouts in a career.

Senior hurler Donna Weiner (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS) is 15-1 this season, having won her last 15 decisions. Weiner has a 1.63 ERA, six shutouts, 75 strikeouts and just 85 hits and 39 walks allowed in 111 2/3 innings of action. Freshman Becky Thomas (Laureldale, PA/Muhlenberg Township HS) has a 2-0 record, a 0.75 ERA and four strikeouts in nine 1/3 innings.

As a team at the plate, Moravian has a .309 batting average this season with 314 hits, 53 doubles, nine triples and 14 home runs. The Greyhounds have scored 196 runs and drawn 85 walks while striking out just 84 times in 1,174 plate appearances. Moravian also has a .974 fielding percentage with just 15 errors in the team’s last 34 games after committing 12 errors in the first four games of the season.

Junior shortstop Heather Bortz (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS) is leading the Greyhounds at the plate with a .500 batting average. Bortz has a single season school record 69 hits on the season and has broken the school record for career hits with 186. Bortz, who had an NCAA all-division record 44-game hitting streak from April 15, 2003 to April 17, 2004, has also contributed 42 runs scored, 16 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, seven walks, seven doubles and three triples.

Senior third baseman Janelle Brey (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) has continued to rewrite the Moravian record books this spring. Brey currently holds 14 Moravian game, season and career records and ranks in the top five of the career offensive categories she doesn’t own the record. Brey is hitting .408 this season with 49 hits, 42 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 12 walks, 13 doubles, a triple and seven home runs.

Senior outfielder Melissa Soroka (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) has contributed a .364 batting average this spring with 43 hits, 19 RBIs, 29 runs scored, seven stolen bases, eight walks, eight doubles, three triples and two homers. Sophomore designated player Richelle McWilliams (Riegelsville, PA/Easton HS) is hitting .300 with 21 hits, 22 RBIs, nine runs, seven doubles and four home runs.

Freshman catcher Danielle Carrione (Bloomfield, NJ/Mt. St. Dominic HS) is hitting .298 in her debut season with 25 hits, 12 RBIs, 11 runs, seven walks, two doubles and a triple while senior outfielder Jessica Esposito (Madison, NJ/Madison HS) has contributed 18 hits, nine runs, eight RBIs and three doubles. Senior designated player Jenn Hastings (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts HS) has 18 hits, 13 RBIs, five runs and three doubles while freshman first baseman Lauren Homa (Chalfont, PA/Central Bucks West HS) has added 17 runs, 12 walks, five RBIs, four doubles and a homer.

Junior outfielder Krissy Cianfichi (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks East HS) has 15 hits on the season with nine runs, three walks, five RBIs, a double and a triple while junior second baseman Leah Holmes (Clarks Green, PA/Abington Heights HS) has added 14 hits, 15 runs, nine walks, seven RBIs and three doubles. Sophomore catcher Kira Weller (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson West Lawn HS) has contributed ten hits, nine walks, four runs, four RBIs and a double while senior second baseman Megan Smith (Phillipsburg, NJ/ Belvidere HS) has eight hits, seven runs, seven walks and four RBIs.

Junior outfielder Stephanie Eddinger (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS) has three hits and an RBI while freshmen infielder/outfielder LeeAnna Roberts (Meshoppen, PA/Elk Lake HS) and infielder Rebecca DeJulio (Vineland, NJ/Sacred Heart HS) each have two hits on the year. Roberts has added four runs and an RBI while DeJulio has two RBIs, two runs and a double.

Ramapo is making its second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and is the host of the regional for the second consecutive season. The Roadrunners are 33-6 overall and were the regular season champion of the NJAC with a record of 15-3.

Senior Jamie Anzaldi leads Ramapo with a 19-4 record, two saves, a 0.56 ERA, 11 shutouts, and 121 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings. She also has 14 hits, 13 RBIs, five doubles, three runs and a home run. Sophomore Andrea Pastiglione has a 5-0 mark with a 0.62 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 34 innings while leading the Roadrunners with 43 hits, 23 runs scored, 13 doubles, 20 RBIS and three triples. Freshman Michele Rossi has a .356 average, 42 hits, 29 runs, 20 RBIs, 12 walks and eight doubles while freshman Elizabeth Choma has contributed 36 hits, 16 RBIs, 15 runs, 12 walks, four doubles, a triple and a homer. Senior Michelle Micklos has added 34 hits, 24 RBIs, 12 runs, 11 walks, ten doubles and two homers.

Allegheny is making its 13th appearance in the NCAA tournament and first since 1996. The Gators, who are 22-14 overall, finished in a tie for first place in the NCAC regular season with a record of 11-3.

Sophomore Giannina Coccaro is 12-5 in the circle with two saves, a 0.46 ERA, six shutouts and 138 strikeouts in 122 innings while senior Tracie Gaydos has a 9-8 record with a 2.66 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 115 2/3 innings. Senior Jessica Monti and senior Shawn Gledhill each have 42 hits this season for the Gators with Monti adding 22 RBIs, 17 runs and 14 doubles while Gledhill has 28 runs, 14 RBIs, seven doubles, four triples and three home runs. Junior Sarah Johnston has added 39 hits, 18 runs, 12 RBIs, ten doubles and a homer.

Union is making its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and was a Pool B selection, as the UCAA doesn’t have an automatic bid to the tournament. The Dutchwomen were 21-3 overall and 7-1 in conference action.

Sophomore Abby Arceneaux has posted an 11-1 record in the circle with one save, seven shutouts, a 0.66 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings. She also leads Union at the plate with a .407 average, 33 hits, 22 runs, 18 RBIs, four doubles and a homer. Sophomore Jackie Coffey is 10-2 on the mound with a 1.12 ERA, four shutouts and 73 strikeouts in 80 innings. Freshman Colleen White has contributed 27 hits, 18 RBIs, 15 runs, six doubles and three home runs while sophomore Julie Gawronski has added 23 hits, 21 runs, 15 RBIs, four doubles, a triple and five home runs. Sophomore Erika Eisenhut has 22 hits, 12 runs and three RBIs.

The College of Staten Island is making its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament after winning the CUNY title. The Dolphins have posted an 18-12-1 overall record with an 11-1 slate in the CUNY regular season.

Senior Theresa Caputo is 10-6 in the circle with a 5.74 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 91 innings, and she has added 33 hits, 20 runs, 20 RBIs, six doubles and a triple. Freshman Christina D’Arpa is 4-4 on the mound with a save, a 2.40 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings, and she leads the Dolphins with 47 hits, 34 RBIs, 29 runs, 12 doubles and two homers. Senior Julie Lowe is 4-2 with a 5.59 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings, and she has 30 hits, 28 runs, 20 RBIs, three doubles and two triples. Junior Jennifer Doscher has added 37 hits, 40 runs, 19 RBIs, 16 walks, eight doubles, two triples and a homer while sophomore Theresa Tepedino has 31 hits, 24 runs, 22 RBIs, 19 walks, ten doubles, four triples and three home runs this season.