BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College softball team will be heading to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament for the 14th time in 15 years as the Greyhounds have the second seed in the eight-team Union, N.J. Regional being hosted by Kean University in Union, New Jersey starting Thursday.
The tournament begins on Thursday, May 10th with top seed Montclair State (N.J.) University playing eighth seed Baurch (N.Y.) College at 10:00 a.m. Fourth seed The College of New Jersey and fifth seeded Alvernia University will play at 12:00 p.m. while third seed Rowan (N.J.) University and sixth seed Misericordia University follow at 2:00 p.m. The Greyhounds will take on seventh seed Centenary (N.J.) College in the final game of the opening day at 4:00 p.m., and the tournament will run through Sunday. For more information on the tournament, visit http://www.keanathletics.com/NCAA/softball2012/index.
Moravian, under the direction of 19-year head coach John Byrne, who as a career mark of 613-191, has posted a 32-9 overall record this spring, the 19th consecutive season that Moravian has won at least 23 games, and an 8-2 mark in Landmark Conference regular season action. The Greyhounds, which have won over 30 games 14 times under Byrne including the last 12 years, made the conference tournament for the 13th straight year and the 17th time in 18 years. Moravian has also been in the NCAA Tournament 14 of the last 15 years including regional championships and berths in the 2007 and 2010 NCAA Division III World Series and a national runner-up finish at the 2004 Division III World Series.
The Greyhounds, who are the five-time defending Landmark Conference Champions after winning the title last weekend, have won 13th straight conference championships. Moravian has an all-time record of 32-27 in NCAA Tournament action over its last 13 trips.
Moravian is hitting .333 with 374 hits including 120 extra-base hits with a school record 27 home runs. Moravian has out-scored its opponents, 267-101, and the Greyhounds have a .957 fielding percentage this season. Moravian has lost five one-run games this season and another two by a pair of runs, and the Greyhounds have posted 14 shutouts in 32 wins.
Leading Moravian at the plate is freshman outfielder Dior George (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic HS), who has a .404 average (55-for-136) to go with 42 runs scored, 15 doubles, one homer, 19 RBIs, 17 walks and 22 stolen bases in her debut season. George was named the 2012 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the Landmark All-Conference First Team.
Sophomore catcher Cassie Ernst (Annville, Pa./Annville-Cleona HS) has a .3966 batting average (42-for-106) with 35 runs, seven doubles, six home runs, 31 RBIs, ten walks and 15 hit-by-pitch while junior first baseman Amanda Dizinno (Budd Lake, N.J./Mount Olive HS) is hitting .366 (26-for-71) with 12 runs, seven doubles, 18 RBIs and a homer. Both Ernst and Dizinno were named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team this week.
Senior pitcher/first baseman Jenna Carmon (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central HS), the 2012 Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Year for the third time in her career and All-Conference First Team selection, has a .371 average (39-for-105) to go with 34 runs, eight doubles, a triple, a home run and 24 RBIs, and in the circle, Carmon is 19-5 this season with one save, a 1.38 ERA, eight shutouts, 28 walks and 86 strikeouts in 142.1 innings. Junior pitcher Alyssa Fegely (Mertztown, Pa./Brandywine Heights HS), who earned a spot on the Landmark All-Conference Second Team as a pitcher, has added a .350 average at the plate (14-for-40) with eight runs, three doubles, two homers and nine RBIS, and in the circle, Fegely is 5-1 with a 2.21 ERA, two shutouts, 22 walks and 44 strikeouts in 57 innings.
Freshman outfielder/designated player Jenn Dalickas (Mertztown, Pa./Brandywine Heights HS), who was named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team, has connected on a team high nine home runs to go with a .370 average (40-for-108), 20 runs, 12 doubles, a triple and 37 RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Taylor Mihalik (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty HS), a member of the Landmark All-Conference Second Team, has a .333 average (33-for-99) with 26 runs, five doubles, a team high three triples, five homers and 25 RBIs while junior third baseman Shannen Mohr (Slatington, PA/Parkland HS), who was on the Landmark All-Conference First Team, has added a .343 average (36-for-105) to go with 22 runs, nine doubles, a triple, a homer, 12 walks and 26 RBIs..
Sophomore outfielder Miranda Sergas (Lansdale, PA/North Penn HS), a member of the Landmark All-Conference First Team, is hitting .317 (33-for-104) with 25 runs, seven doubles, a triple, 13 walks and 20 RBIs while junior shortstop Brook Kowal (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis HS) has 13 hits, seven runs scored, six doubles and eight RBIs. Sophomore second baseman Eavan Matz (Port Jervis, NY/Delaware Valley HS has contributed 15 hits, 11 runs, a double and five RBIs while freshman infielder/pitcher Lizzie Mack (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford HS) has added eight hits, four runs, a triple and four RBIs at the plate and a 4-2 record with a 2.55 ERA, one shutout, 13 walks and 18 strikeouts in 35.2 innings in the circle.
Sophomore infielder Rachel DeLucia (Audubon, PA/Methacton HS) has five hits to go with a run, a double, a homer and three RBIs while sophomore pitcher Elizabeth Tillou (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown HS) has three hits, two doubles, a run and an RBI at the plate and a 4-1 record, two shutouts, a 1.62 ERA, six walks and 15 strikeouts in 34.2 innings in the circle. Sophomore outfielder Melissa Cottone (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland HS) has three hits and a pair of runs scored while sophomore infielder Leann Ventriglia (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North HS) has two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Freshman outfielder Bryanna Gifford (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton HS) has crossed the plate six times as a pinch runner while junior catcher Tori Thomas (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketchum HS) has five hits, three runs, two doubles and five RBIs.
