Monday, May 10, 2004

GREYHOUND SOFTBALL SQUAD PREPARES FOR ITS FIRST-EVER APPEARANCE IN NCAA DIVISION III WORLD SERIES

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College softball team will be heading to the NCAA Division III World Series as the Greyhounds have the eighth seed in the 2004 National Championship Tournament hosted by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia.

The tournament begins on Friday, May 14th with Moravian playing top seed Chapman (CA) University (35-9) at 11:00 a.m. Also on the first day of the World Series, fourth seeded Salisbury (MD) University (38-6) will play fifth seeded Alma (MI) College (39-7) at 1:30 p.m. followed by third seeded Muskingum (OH) College (41-5) versus sixth-seed Wheaton (MA) College (32-10-1) and second seeded the University of St. Thomas (MN) (42-4) and seventh-seed Cortland State (NY) University (37-7).

The tournament will run through Monday’s national championship game with an if necessary game scheduled for Tuesday, May 18th if needed in the double-elimination tournament.

The Greyhounds under the direction of 11-year head coach John Byrne, who as a career mark of 330-115, have posted a 37-4 record this spring, the 11th consecutive season the team has won at least 23 games and breaking the school record for wins in a season by any sport. Moravian was also 14-0 in the Commonwealth Conference regular season. The Greyhounds, which have won over 30 games six times under Byrne including the last four years, are in the NCAA tournament for the seventh straight year and the postseason for the tenth consecutive season. Moravian reached the World Series with a 1-0 victory over Ramapo College of New Jersey in the regional championship.

One of the keys for the Greyhounds again this season has been their pitching staff, which has a 1.16 ERA, 16 shutouts, 232 strikeouts, 188 hits allowed and just 81 walks allowed in 278 innings.

Sophomore pitcher Meagan Hennessy (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township HS), the Commonwealth Conference Pitcher of the Year, has posted a 19-2 record, a school record for victories, with a school record ten shutouts and three saves. Hennessy, who started the season 15-0, has a 0.89 ERA in 150 innings of work, and she has allowed just 91 hits and 38 walks while striking out 149 batters. Hennessy became just the second pitcher in school history with 300 strikeouts in a career.

Senior hurler Donna Weiner (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS) is 16-1 this season, having won her last 16 decisions. Weiner has a 1.59 ERA, six shutouts, 79 strikeouts and just 88 hits and 40 walks allowed in 118 2/3 innings of action. Freshman Becky Thomas (Laureldale, PA/Muhlenberg Township HS) has a 2-0 record, a 0.75 ERA and four strikeouts in nine 1/3 innings.

As a team at the plate, Moravian has a .308 batting average this season with 335 hits, 53 doubles, nine triples and 14 home runs. The Greyhounds have scored 206 runs and drawn 90 walks while striking out just 94 times in 1,259 plate appearances. Moravian also has a .975 fielding percentage with just 17 errors in the team’s last 37 games after committing 12 errors in the first four games of the season.

Junior shortstop Heather Bortz (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS), the 2004 Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year, is leading the Greyhounds at the plate with a .483 batting average. Bortz, who drew a bases loaded walk to drive in the only run in Moravian’s regional championship win, has a single season school record 70 hits on the season and has broken the school record for career hits with 187. Bortz, who had an NCAA all-division record 44-game hitting streak from April 15, 2003 to April 17, 2004, has also contributed 45 runs scored, 17 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, ten walks, seven doubles and three triples.

Senior third baseman Janelle Brey (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) has continued to rewrite the Moravian record books this spring. Brey currently holds 16 Moravian game, season and career records and ranks in the top five of the career offensive categories she doesn’t own the record. Brey is hitting .398 this season with 51 hits, 45 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 12 walks, 13 doubles, a triple and seven home runs. Brey has also set the school record with 100 assists in the field this season.

Senior outfielder Melissa Soroka (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) has contributed a .370 batting average this spring with 47 hits, 20 RBIs, 30 runs scored, eight stolen bases, eight walks, eight doubles, three triples and two homers. Sophomore designated player Richelle McWilliams (Riegelsville, PA/Easton HS) is hitting .312 with 25 hits, 23 RBIs, nine runs, seven doubles and four home runs.

Freshman catcher Danielle Carrione (Bloomfield, NJ/Mt. St. Dominic HS) is hitting .293 in her debut season with 27 hits, 12 RBIs, 12 runs, seven walks, two doubles and a triple while senior outfielder Jessica Esposito (Madison, NJ/Madison HS) has contributed 19 hits, nine runs, eight RBIs and three doubles. Senior designated player Jenn Hastings (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts HS) has 18 hits, 14 RBIs, five runs and three doubles while freshman first baseman Lauren Homa (Chalfont, PA/Central Bucks West HS) has added 21 hits, 20 runs, 12 walks, six RBIs, four doubles and a homer.

Junior outfielder Krissy Cianfichi (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks East HS) has 17 hits on the season with nine runs, four walks, five RBIs, a double and a triple while junior second baseman Leah Holmes (Clarks Green, PA/Abington Heights HS) has added 15 hits, 16 runs, nine walks, seven RBIs and three doubles. Sophomore catcher Kira Weller (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson West Lawn HS) has contributed ten hits, nine walks, four runs, four RBIs and a double while senior second baseman Megan Smith (Phillipsburg, NJ/ Belvidere HS) has eight hits, seven runs, seven walks and four RBIs. Junior outfielder Stephanie Eddinger (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS) has three hits, a run and an RBI while freshmen infielder/outfielder LeeAnna Roberts (Meshoppen, PA/Elk Lake HS) and infielder Rebecca DeJulio (Vineland, NJ/Sacred Heart HS) each have two hits on the year. Roberts has added four runs and an RBI while DeJulio has two RBIs, two runs and a double.

Chapman is 35-9 this season and competes as an independent. The Panthers were awarded one of the eight Pool B spots in the NCAA Tournament, their eighth trip. Chapman won the NCAA Division III World Series in 1995 and was the runner-up in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Panthers defeated Linfield (OR) College, 3-2, in the if necessary game of their regional to reach the World Series.

St. Thomas was the champion of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament and has a record of 40-5. The Tommies are in the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time and are making their second trip to the World Series. St. Thomas defeated defending national champion Central (IA) College, 3-2, to reach the World Series.

Muskingum, the 2001 NCAA Division III National Champion, won the Ohio Athletic Conference championship and automatic berth. The Muskies are 41-5 this season and are competing in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time, with five trips to the World Series, including the last two seasons. Muskingum defeated Roanoke (VA) College, 5-1, to advance to the finals.

Salisbury, which was the runner-up at the World Series last season, won the Capital Athletic Conference and received one of the eight Pool B berths in the NCAA Tournament. The Sea Gulls are making their tenth NCAA Tournament appearance and third straight trip to the World Series. Salisbury, 38-6 overall, defeated the University of Rutgers at Camden, 3-0, in the if necessary game of the regionals Monday morning.

Alma, which earned the automatic bid from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, has a record of 39-7. The Scots are in the NCAA Tournament for the tenth time and have two third place finishes. Alma defeated the University of Chicago twice to reach the World Series, including a 1-0, nine-inning victory in the if necessary game on Monday.

Wheaton won the New England Women’s & Men’s Athletic Conference Championship to earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Lyons, who are 32-10-1 overall, are in the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time and are making their third trip to the World Series. Wheaton defeated Williams (MA) College, 3-2, in the regional finals.

Cortland State, which received one of two at-large berths to the NCAA Tournament after finishing as the runner-up in the State University of New York Conference, has a 37-7 record this season. The Red Dragons are making their 11th trip to the NCAA Tournament with a fourth trip to the World Series, including a second straight appearance. Cortland State defeated Ithaca College, 4-3 in ten innings, in the regional championship.

For more information on the NCAA Division III World Series, visit www.odaconline.com/div3soft/.