Monday, June 2, 2003

BORTZ NAMED ECAC SOUTHERN PLAYER OF THE YEAR;
Bortz, Brey & Hennessy Honored as ECAC Southern All-Stars

CENTERVILLE, MA --- Sophomore shortstop Heather Bortz (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS) of the Moravian College softball team has been named to the 2003 Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Southern Player of the Year. Bortz was also named a First Team All-Star along with junior third baseman Janelle Brey (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) while freshman pitcher Meagan Hennessy (Freehold, NJ/Freehold HS) was honored on the All-Star Second Team.

The trio led the Greyhounds to a 32-10 record this season and a runner-up finish at the 2003 NCAA Regional, Moravian’s best-ever finish in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Moravian won its fourth consecutive Commonwealth Conference Championship and earned its sixth straight berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Bortz led Moravian at the plate this season with a .496 batting average, the third highest single season in school history. Bortz set the school record with 67 hits during the year, and she became the fastest player in school history to reach 100 hits. She currently has 117 hits after two seasons. Bortz also contributed 29 runs scored, 18 RBIs, 11 walks, ten stolen bases, six doubles, three triples and a home run, which was an inside-the-park grand slam in the NCAA Regional. Bortz had an on-base percentage of .531 this spring, and she was one of the toughest players in the country to strikeout with just three strikeouts in 135 at-bats this year. In the field, Bortz made 84 putouts and 69 assists while committing just eight errors from her shortstop position.

Other awards for Bortz this spring include Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Second Team All-American, the Co-Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year, Commonwealth All-Conference First Team, NFCA All-East Region First Team, NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team and Lehigh Valley Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Player of the Year.

Brey continued to rewrite the Moravian record books this spring. Brey currently holds the school records for home runs in a career (22), a season (10) and a game (2); RBIs in a career (120), a season (52) and a game (seven) and doubles in a career (40), a season (15) and a game (three). Brey hit .412 this season with 54 hits, 44 RBIs, 40 runs scored, 19 walks, 15 doubles, five triples and seven home runs. Brey, who had a team high 94 assists this year in the field, was also on the Commonwealth All-Conference First Team, the NFCA All-East Region Second Team and the NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team.

Hennessy posted a 16-6 record in her debut season, and she broke the school record for strikeouts in a season with 164. Hennessy posted a school record tying eight shutouts and a 1.39 ERA in 151 innings of work, and she allowed just 114 hits and 37 walks. Hennessy was named the Commonwealth Conference Co-Pitcher of the Year and the Freshman of the Year, while earning spots on the Commonwealth All-Conference First Team, the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-East Region First Team and the NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team.