March 30, 1999

GREYHOUNDS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER WITH WIDENER

COACH BYRNE WIN’S 150^TH GAME

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College (10-6) softball team, playing its first Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League doubleheader of the 1999 season, split a pair of games with Widener University (9-8), losing 4-1 in the opener and winning the nightcap 5-2, Tuesday.

The victory was the 150^th of head coach John Byrne’s career. In five and a half seasons at the helm of the Lady Greyhounds, Byrne has a record of 150-59 and led Moravian to the MAC Commonwealth League title twice and the NCAA Division III National Tournament for the first time in school history last season.

In game one, the ‘Hounds took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a pair of Widener errors, a single by sophomore Missy Hummel (Walnutport/Northampton HS) and a bases loaded walk by sophomore Meg Ryan (Edison, NJ/Edison HS).

Widener responded with three runs in the fourth inning on singles by Tabitha Reina, Katie Marro and Kim Lynch. Heather McGuigan reached base on a fielder’s choice and Cathy Arland drove in the final run with a ground out. The Pioneers added a single run in the seventh inning.

Moravian freshman Rachel Mowrey (Hellertown/Saucon Valley HS) took the loss on the mound, just her second of the year despite seven strikeouts and allowing just five hits and a walk.

In the second game, Moravian again struck first in the second inning with a single by Mowrey, a sacrifice bunt by freshman Sarah Leiby (Fleetwood/Fleetwood HS), a RBI double by freshman Laurie Rentschler (Slatington/Northern Lehigh HS) and singles by junior Zan Azzolino (Lodi, NJ/ Immaculate Heart Academy) and Hummel.

Moravian added a run in the fourth inning when Leiby reached on an error and Rentschler followed with her second double of the game. Leiby scored on a wild pitch. The Lady Greyhounds final run came in the fifth inning on singles by freshman Summer Miller (Mt. Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley HS), Ryan and freshman Debbie Noble (Cranford, NJ/Cranford HS).

Widener scored a single run in the sixth inning on a RBI single by Marro and added another run in the seventh inning on a ground out by Erin McDonnell.

Moravian’s Becky Stroup (Palmerton/Palmerton Area HS) earned the victory on the mound in game two, her fifth of the season. The junior allowed just six hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

Moravian will return to action on Thursday, April 1^st in a non-conference doubleheader with Ursinus College beginning at 2:30 p.m. in Bethlehem.