Monday, May 7, 2001

HOUNDS PREPARE FOR 4^th STRAIGHT NCAA TOURNAMENT

BETHLEHEM, PA --- For the fourth straight year, the Moravian College softball team is preparing for the postseason as the Greyhounds (32-10) will be the fourth seed in the NCAA Division III East Regional this weekend, May 11^h-13^th at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.  Moravian earned its automatic berth by claiming the Commonwealth Conference Championship this past weekend.

Moravian, the fourth seed for the third consecutive season, will play fourth seeded Hunter (NY) College (18-14), the winner of the City University of New York Athletic Conference at 10:00 a.m. on Friday to open the tournament.  The other first round game pits #3 seed William Paterson (33-7) versus #6 seed Mount Saint Mary College of NY (17-8).  The winner of the Moravian-Hunter game will play top seeded Rowan (NJ) University (33-9) in the third game on Friday while #2 seed Cabrini College (40-3) will play the winner of the William Paterson-Mount Saint Mary game.  Action will continue on Saturday and Sunday with the winner of the regional earning a berth in the NCAA Division III College World Series hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Eau-Claire on May 17^th-21^st.

The Greyhounds, under the direction of eight-year head coach John Byrne, will be looking to win their first East Regional title after placing third the last two years.  Byrne has led Moravian to a 226-91 record in eight seasons with at least 23 wins every year, two 31-win seasons and this season's 32-victory campaign, which set a record for wins by any sport at Moravian.  Under Byrne, Moravian has made the NCAA Tournament in 2001, 2000, 1999 and 1998 and the MAC Playoffs in 2000, 1997, 1996 and 1995.  Moravian also received a national ranking this season, being ranked 19^th in the nation in the first National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Poll released on April 4^th.

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.  Junior Rachel Mowrey (Hellertown/Saucon Valley HS) leads the staff with a 16-3 record (two losses by one run in extra innings and two losses to teams in the regional, Cabrini, 3-2 in eight innings, and Rowan, 3-1) 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.

Freshman Donna Weiner (Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS) 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 including one-run losses to New Jersey Athletic Conference powers Rowan, 2-1, and the College of New Jersey, 3-2 in 12 innings, and she lost one game to Cabrini, 4-0, and one game to the University of LaVerne (CA), the top team in the West Regional, 1-0.  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.

Freshman Jessica Naugle (Mohrsville/Schuylkill Valley HS) is 2-0 on the season with a 0.58 ERA, nine strikeouts and two walks in 12 innings pitched.  Sophomore Jill Simms (Hampton, NJ/ Voorhees HS) has a 1-0 mark with three strikeouts and one walk in nine innings of work.

At the plate, Moravian is being led by a trio of freshmen including shortstop Melissa Soroka (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS), utility player Jenn Hastings (Pottstown/Owen J. Roberts HS) and centerfielder Janelle Brey (Allentown/Dieruff HS).  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 homeruns 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.

Junior designated player/first baseman Deb Noble (Cranford, NJ/Cranford HS) has collected 36 hits in 116 at-bats for a .310 batting average.  Noble leads the Greyhounds with 10 doubles and she has added 20 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 13 walks.  Junior second baseman Laurie Rentschler (Slatington/ Northern Lehigh HS) has a .304 batting average with 35 hits in 115 at-bats.  Rentschler has added 21 runs scored, 17 RBIs, 13 sacrifices and four doubles.

Junior catcher Stacy Matuczinski (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) has 33 hits on the season and has added 12 sacrifices.  She has scored 16 runs while driving in 15 more.  Matuczinski has two doubles and has thrown out 10 of 29 attempted base stealers.

Junior outfielder Summer Miller (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional HS) has 28 hits on the season for Moravian with 19 runs scored 13 RBIs, five doubles and a triple.  Junior outfielder Sarah Leiby (Fleetwood/Fleetwood HS) leads the Greyhounds with 14 walks and she has added 23 hits, 11 runs scored, nine RBIs and four doubles.

Freshman outfielder/third baseman Jessica Esposito (Madison, NJ/Madison HS) has 14 hits, 12 runs scored, 10 RBIs and a homerun in her debut season with Moravian while freshman third baseman Megan Smith (Phillipsburg, NJ/Belvidere HS) has 16 hits, 14 runs scored and a pair of doubles.

Senior outfielder Missy Hummel (Walnutport/Northampton HS) has played just 23 games this season due to leg injuries and she will miss the rest of the season.  Hummel had 17 hits, 18 runs scored and six RBIs this spring.  The Greyhounds have also had to play the entire season without sophomore infielder Kim Gehman (Topton/Brandywine Heights HS), who has been sidelined after ankle surgery during the off-season.

Capsules of other competing teams:

#1 Rowan University

Overall Record - 33-9
New Jersey Athletic Conference Record - 16-2 1^st place, Tournament Champion
Top Pitchers - Sophomore Julie Undercuffler (12-2 record, 2 SV, 0.88 ERA, 111 1/3 innings, 72 K, 15 BB, 86 hits)
Sophomore Jennifer Stech (6-1 record, 2 SV, 1.23 ERA, 51 1/3 innings, 27 K, 6 BB, 53 hits)
 Junior Jamie Elias (15-6 record, 4 SV, 1.92 ERA, 127 1/3 innings, 80 K, 26 BB, 109 hits)
Top Hitters - Sophomore Melissa Geoghan (2B, .351 BA, 134 AB, 47 H, 29 RBI, 16 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 4 SB, 11 BB)
Sophomore Kelly Rose (SS/OF, .330 BA, 115 AB, 38 H, 13 RBI, 22 R, 10 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 9 SB)
Junior Lesley Snock (OF, .320 BA, 147 AB, 47 H, 19 RBI, 27 R, 6 2B, 2 3B, 11 SB, 10 BB)
Freshman Lisa Schmied (C, .291 BA, 117 AB, 34 H, 8 RBI, 26 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 SB, 18 BB)

#2 Cabrini College

Overall Record - 40-3
Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Record - 21-1 1^st place, Tournament Champions
Top Pitchers - Junior Megan Johnston (19-2 record, 0.37 ERA)
Junior Jacki Armes (18-1 record, 0.64 ERA)
Top Hitters - Sophomore Rita Horning (1B, .475 BA, 118 AB, 56 H)|
Sophomore Erin Brooks (OF, .459 BA, 122 AB, 56 H)
Johnston (P/OF, .431 BA, 130 AB, 56 H)
Sophomore Samantha Crocker (C, .431 BA, 72 AB, 31 H)

#3 William Paterson University - Statistics as of Apr. 26th

Overall Record - 33-7
New Jersey Athletic Conference Record - 15-3, 2^nd place, Tournament Runner-Up, One of four at-large berths
Top Pitchers - Junior Diane Catalano (6-0 record, 0.50 ERA, 41 2/3 innings, 20 K, 3 BB, 26 hits)
Sophomore Sam Kszepka (7-1 record, 0.56 ERA, 50 innings, 22 K, 7 BB, 29 hits)
Senior Diane Naugle (13-2 record, 1.19 ERA, 94 innings, 74 K, 21 BB, 71 hits)
Top Hitters - Junior Lauren Hertzberg (OF, .489 BA, 95 AB, 45 H, 35 R, 22 RBI, 7 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 11 BB, 22 SB)
Naugle (P/UT, .486 BA, 107 AB, 52 H, 31 R, 42 RBI, 17 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR)
Sophomore Morgan Dunlap (C, .421 BA, 107 AB, 45 H, 34 R, 41 RBI, 8 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 13 BB, 7 SB)
Junior Courtney Heller (OF, .413 BA, 121 AB, 52 H, 35 R, 9 RBI, 1 2B, 13 SB)

#5 Hunter (NY) College - Statistics as of May 2^nd

Overall Record - 18-14
City University of New York Athletic Conference Record - 10-4, 4^th place, Tournament Champion
Top Pitchers - Andrea Perlas (9-10 record, 3.79 ERA, 138 2/3 innings)
Top Hitters - Jezel Rodriguez (.480 BA, 75 AB, 36 H, 23 RBI, 10 2B, 5 HR)
Cagla Boz (.433 BA, 90 AB, 39 H)
Tara Goins (15 SB)

#6 Mount St. Mary (NY) College - No information available

Overall Record - 17-8
Skyline Athletic Conference - Automatic qualifier
Top Pitchers -
Top Hitters -