May 16, 1999

MORAVIAN FINISHES THIRD IN NCAA EAST REGIONAL

AZZOLINO, NOBLE & RYAN NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

ROCKY MOUNT, NC --- The Moravian College softball team had its season come to a close with a 7-0 loss to Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League rival Messiah College in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III East Regional at North Carolina Wesleyan College Sunday.

The Greyhounds finish the season with a 28-16 overall record and third in the NCAA Division III East Region. Moravian moved one step closer to a NCAA Division III National Championship as the squad finished fourth in the NCAA Division III East Region in 1998 with a 27-14 slate.

Three members of the Moravian team were named to the NCAA Division III East Region All-Tournament Team. Junior shortstop Zan Azzolino (Lodi, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) was an at-large selection while freshman Debbie Noble (Cranford, NJ/Cranford HS) earned a spot in the outfield and sophomore Meg Ryan (Edison, NJ/Edison HS) was named as the designated player.

Moravian posted a 2-2 record at the NCAA Division III East Regional with Azzolino collecting three hits in ten at-bats including a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs. Noble had four hits in ten at-bats with a pair of doubles and two RBIs while Ryan was five for ten at the plate with a double, a triple and a RBI.

In Sunday’s loss to Messiah, Moravian had just four hits in the game, singles by sophomore Missy Hummel (Walnutport/Northampton HS), freshman Stacy Matuczinski (Bethlehem/Liberty HS), Noble and Ryan.

Junior pitcher Becky Stroup (Palmerton/Palmerton Area HS) was touched for 17 hits by Messiah but did not allow a walk and added three strikeouts.

Messiah went on to defeat host North Carolina Wesleyan, 3-0 and 7-6, to win its second straight NCAA Division III East Region title and the berth to the NCAA Division III World Series.