INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Moravian College baseball team has six players ranked in the final 2012 NCAA Division III statistics, and the Greyhounds are among the national leaders in 13 team categories.
Senior shortstop Dave Zubia (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic HS) finished the season ranked seventh in the country with a .536 on-base percentage, tied for 17th in runs at 54, tied for 15th with 1.29 runs per game, tied for 54th with 67 hits (also a school record), 18th in toughest to strikeout with one strikeout every 31 at-bats, 19th in batting average at .432, tied for 40th in hit by pitches with 14 and 98th in slugging percentage at .613. On the season, Zubia added 54 runs, 39 RBIs, 22 walks, 20 stolen bases, 13 doubles, three triples and three home runs.
Senior pitcher Brendan Close (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom HS) tied for tenth in the nation with eight complete games, tied for eighth in walks allowed per nine innings at 0.82, tied for 43rd in wins with eight and tied for 73rd in ERA at 2.18. Close finished the 2012 campaign with an 8-1 record and a 2.18 ERA in 66 innings pitched. He had 53 strikeouts while allowing six walks.
Senior pitcher Kyle Longernecker (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic HS) was 46th in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings at 6.91. He gave up 34 hits in 44.1 innings this season to go with a 2.44 ERA, a 3-4 record, two saves, 27 strikeouts and eight walks.
Freshman pitcher Chris Lansberry (Garnett Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley HS) tied for 43rd in Division III with eight victories. This spring, Lansberry went 8-1 with a 2.94 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched.
Sophomore pitcher Thomas Mariano (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton HS) tied for 17th in the country in walks allowed per nine innings at 1.04. On the season, Mariano went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 60.1 innings pitched. He had 40 strikeouts and allowed seven walks.
Senior catcher Blake Shortall (Kintnersville, Pa./Freedom HS) was tied for 40th in the nation with 14 hit by pitches. Shortall finished the season with a season record .996 fielding percentage to go with his .350 batting average, 31 RBIs and 23 runs scored.
The Greyhounds were tied for 17th in Division III in hits (514), 17th in runs (346), tied for sixth in doubles (104), ninth in doubles per game (2.36), eighth in batting average (.337), 21st in runs per game (7.9), 25th in walks allowed per nine innings (2.70), tied for 37th in hit by pitches (62), 31st in stolen bases (95), 34th in fielding percentage (.965), 28th in slugging percentage (.450), 40th in stolen bases per game (2.16) and 49th in ERA (3.61).
Moravian finished its 2012 season with 28-16 record after falling in the Landmark Conference Championship game. The Greyhounds were 15-5 at Gillespie Field and 14-4 in the Landmark Conference.
