Thursday, May 1, 2003

GREYHOUND SOFTBALL SQUAD PREPARES FOR ITS NINTH STRAIGHT POSTSEASON APPEARANCE

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College softball team will be heading to the postseason for the ninth consecutive season as the Greyhounds have the top seed in the 2003 Commonwealth Conference Tournament at Lebanon Valley College for the second straight year.

The tournament begins on Friday, May 1st with two-time defending champion Moravian playing fourth seeded Juniata College at 11:00 a.m. Second seeded Elizabethtown College will battle third seed Messiah College at 1:00 p.m. and the winners of the first two games will play at 3:00 p.m. Friday, with the winner of that game earning a berth in the championship game at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The losers of Friday’s first two games will open Saturday’s action at 9:00 a.m. The tournament champion earns an automatic berth into the 2003 NCAA Division III National Tournament.

The Greyhounds under the direction of ten-year head coach John Byrne, who as a career mark of 287-109, have posted a 26-8 record this spring, the tenth consecutive season that Moravian has won at least 23 games. The Greyhounds, which have won over 30 games four times under Byrne including the last two years, are in the conference tournament for the fourth straight year and the eighth time in nine years. Moravian has also been in the NCAA Tournament the last five years.

One of the keys for the Greyhounds again this season has been their pitching staff, which has a 1.28 ERA, nine shutouts, 172 strikeouts, 181 hits allowed and just 50 walks allowed in 230 innings.

Freshman pitcher Meagan Hennessy (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township HS) has posted a 13-4 record in her debut season, and she has already broken the school record for strikeouts in a season with 128. Hennessy has posted seven shutouts and a 1.03 ERA in 115 innings of work, and she has allowed just 81 hits and 27 walks.

Junior hurler Donna Weiner (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS) is also 13-4 this season. Weiner has a 1.58 ERA, two shutouts, 44 strikeouts and just 23 hits and 100 walks allowed in 115 innings of action.

As a team at the plate, Moravian has a .312 batting average this season with 295 hits, 57 doubles, 13 triples and nine home runs. The Greyhounds have scored 180 runs and drawn 69 walks while striking out just 63 times in 945 at-bats.

Sophomore shortstop Heather Bortz (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS) is leading the Greyhounds at the plate with a .472 batting average. Bortz has 51 hits on the season and became the fastest player in school history to reach 100 career hits with a single in a victory at Albright College on Monday. Bortz has also contributed 23 runs scored, 12 RBIs, ten stolen bases, nine walks and five doubles this spring.

Junior third baseman Janelle Brey (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) has continued to rewrite the Moravian record books this spring. Brey currently holds the school records for home runs in a career (21), a season (10) and a game (2); RBIs in a career (114), a season (52) and a game (seven) and doubles in a career (37), a season (15) and a game (three). Brey is hitting .407 this season with 44 hits, 38 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 15 walks, 12 doubles, four triples and six home runs.

Sophomore outfielder Krissy Cianfichi (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks East HS) has a .339 batting average for the Greyhounds and she has added 37 hits, 24 runs scored, seven RBIs, six walks, five stolen bases and three doubles from the leadoff position. Junior outfielder Melissa Soroka (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) has contributed a .294 batting average this spring with 32 hits, 20 RBIs, 18 runs scored, eight stolen bases, five walks, eight doubles, two triples and a homer.

Sophomore second baseman/designated hitter Leah Holmes (Clarks Green, PA/Abington Heights HS) has 25 hits, 21 runs scored, ten RBIs, seven walks, four doubles and four triples this spring while junior outfielder/designated hitter Jessica Esposito (Madison, NJ/Madison HS) has added 26 hits, 14 RBIs, ten runs, eight doubles, a triple, a home run, five stolen bases and four walks. Junior first baseman Jenn Hastings (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts HS) has 25 hits, 12 RBIs, ten runs, six doubles and six walks on the year.

Freshman catcher Kira Weller (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson West Lawn HS) and sophomore outfielder/designated player Stephanie Eddinger (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS) each have 16 hits this spring with Weller adding eight runs scored, seven RBIs and six walks while Eddinger has contributed 13 runs scored, ten RBIs, five doubles, five stolen bases and three walks. Junior second baseman Megan Smith (Phillipsburg, NJ/Belvidere HS) and freshman first baseman Richelle McWilliams (Riegelsville, PA/Wilson HS) each have collected six hits with Smith contributing seven runs, two RBIs, and a double and McWilliams adding three runs scored, two RBIs, two doubles and a home run.

Freshman catcher Mary Smith (Phillipsburg, NJ/Belvidere HS) has added five hits, five runs scored, three RBIs and two doubles while Hennessy has four hits, three runs and a double. Freshman outfielder Angela Delonti (Peckville, PA/Valley View HS) has two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored in limited action as a reserve.

Juniata is making its first appearance in the conference playoffs for the first time since 1982. The Eagles posted a 19-8 overall record this spring and tied with Elizabethtown and Messiah at 8-6 during the Commonwealth Conference regular season.

Junior outfielder Amber Helsel leads Juniata at the plate with a.458 batting average, and she has contributed 38 hits, 27 runs scored, 19 RBIs, 11 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, eight walks and nine stolen bases. Junior first baseman/shortstop Becky Herr has added a .406 batting average, 28 hits, 20 runs scored, 21 RBIs, 16 walks, four stolen bases, seven doubles, two triples and three homers. Junior outfielder Amy Gable has 37 hits, 20 runs scored, six stolen bases, six RBIs, five doubles and a .402 batting average this spring. On the mound for the Eagles, freshman Renae Hobbs is 8-2 with 29 strikeouts, three shutouts and a 1.32 ERA in 68 13 innings while freshman Lizzie Bartosik has a 6-5 record, 38 strikeouts, two shutouts and a 3.20 ERA in 70 1/3 innings of action.

Elizabethtown is making its second straight trip to the Commonwealth Tournament after posting a 17-13 record during the regular season. The Blue Jays are the second seed having swept Messiah and split with Juniata during the conference season.

Junior shortstop Emily Morris leads Elizabethtown with a .378 batting average, and she has added 37 hits, 18 runs scored, eight RBIs, four walks, two doubles, a triple and two home runs. Freshman infielder Kate Sharkey has a .340 batting average to go along with 34 hits, 22 RBIs, ten runs scored, four doubles and a triple. Sophomore outfielder Megan Balmer has a .329 batting average, 26 hits, 12 runs scored, eight RBIs, six stolen bases and six doubles. On the mound, junior Michelle Morris has a 16-8 record, two shutouts, 128 strikeouts and a 1.60 ERA in 170 2/3 innings.

Messiah is back in the postseason after missing the Commonwealth Tournament last year. The Falcons, who posted a regular season record of 22-15, won seven conference championships in the 1990s.

Sophomore outfielder/shortstop Boo Mumma leads Messiah with a .500 batting average, and she has added 58 hits, 30 runs scored, 27 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, 11 walks, six doubles and six triples. Junior third baseman April Frye has a .400 batting average with 42 hits, 27 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, nine RBIs and a triple. Senior catcher Michal Chaffinch has contributed 32 hits, 16 runs scored, 28 RBIs, eight walks, seven doubles and a home run. On the mound, senior Jaime Batchelor has a 9-5 record, one shutout, 60 strikeouts and a 0.99 ERA in 106 1/3 innings while sophomore Shelly Corwell is 9-7 with two shutouts, 68 strikeouts and a 2.60 ERA in 102 1/3 innings of work.