DANBURY, Conn. --- Moravian College junior pitcher Josie Novak has been named as the ECAC Division III Metro Softball Pitcher of the Week for her performances last week.
Novak helped the No. 7 ranked Greyhounds to a 7-1 week as the Blue and Grey improved their record to 33-3 overall and 10-0 in Landmark Conference action. With Sunday's sweep of The Catholic University of America, Moravian clinched the top spot in the 2017 Landmark Conference Tournament and will host the double-elimination tournament at Blue & Grey Field on Friday and Saturday, May 5-6.
Novak, who was the Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Week for the fifth time this season, posted a 0.00 ERA last week to go with a 4-0 record, eight hits, five walks and 26 strikeouts in 27 innings of work. She posted three shutouts to raise her season total to 12 and career mark to 25, which both rank third in school history. Novak, who earned her third ECAC honor of the season, began the week with nine strikeouts, two walks and two hits in a 4-0, eight inning win at Delaware Valley. She then tossed five innings with three hits and five strikeouts in a 6-1 victory at Eastern as freshman Paige Lesher finished the game in the circle. Novak then allowed two hits and two walks to go with five strikeouts in a 5-0 win over The College of Staten Island, and she finished the week with her seventh one-hit shutout of the season, adding a walk and seven strikeouts in a 1-0 victory over The Catholic University of America in Landmark Conference action.
"Josie is part of a pitching staff that is having one of the best seasons in program history this spring," noted Byrne. "She has done a tremendous job of keeping the opposing batters off balance and has been able to work out of the jams that she has gotten into. You can't compete for championships without pitching and Josie is one third of a very good group we have this spring."
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, April 29 in a Landmark Conference doubleheader at The University of Scranton beginning at 1:00 p.m.
