DANBURY, Conn. --- The Moravian College softball team swept the ECAC Division III Metro weekly awards with junior catcher Janae Matos earning Player of the Week honors, junior pitcher Josie Novak being named the Pitcher of the Week and freshman outfielder Emily Stanilious selected as the Rookie of the Week for their performances last week.
The trio helped the nationally-ranked Greyhounds to a 4-0 record as Moravian reached the midpoint of the regular season at 18-2. The Hounds, who moved up to 11th in the nation in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Poll on Wednesday, are 4-0 in Landmark Conference action.
Matos, who earns her second ECAC Division III Metro of the Week honor of the season, had a .727 batting average as she had eight hits in 11 at-bats. Matos added four runs, five RBIs, five doubles and three walks for a .786 on-base percentage and a 1.182 slugging percentage at the plate to go with 22 putouts and three assists in 25 chances in the field. Matos now has 15 doubles on the season, which is tied for second in a single season in Moravian's record books.
"Janae has seen the ball very well all season and has made very good contact at the plate," stated Head Coach John Byrne. "While she's been one of our leaders hitting the ball, Janae is a valuable asset behind the plate handling our pitching staff. She is in her third year as our starting catcher and works very well with our pitchers."
Novak had a 2-0 week with a 0.00 ERA. She allowed an unearned run on two hits and two walks while striking out 13 batters. She became the third player in school history to reach 400 career strikeouts with eight strikeouts in a 2-1 win over Wilkes, and Novak tossed her fifth one-hit shutout of the year in a 5-0 victory over Juniata College on Sunday. Novak also had a putout and an assist in the field during the two games she pitched.
"Josie had another outstanding week in the circle with very good control of her pitchers," Byrne said. "She has the ability to really focus in on the spot Janae wants the ball and put it there on a consistent basis."
Stanilious was 7-for-9 with three runs and four RBIs for a .778 on-base percentage and a .778 slugging percentage to go along with two stolen bases. Stanilious had two putouts while starting three games in right field after being a late defensive substitute in the opening game of the week. Stanilious was 6-for-7 with three runs, two RBIs and a pair of stolen bases to go with a pair of putouts in Moravian's sweep of Juniata.
"Emily has adjusted really well to the college game in her first season with us," commented Byrne. "Her quickness has been an asset in both the field and at the plate, and being able to drop down a bunt or hit for power has Emily pushing to be in the lineup as much as we can get her there."
Moravian is slated to return to action on Saturday, April 8 in a Landmark Conference doubleheader header at Susquehanna University beginning at 1:00 p.m.
