(PHOENIX, Ariz., May 12, 2004)—With a 9-1 victory over Mesa Community College (MCC) during the 2004 NJCAA Region I Division 2 Championships, the Phoenix College softball team has earned their trip to Iowa to represent Region 1 (California, Arizona and Nevada) in the National NJCAA Championship on May 22, 2004.

The NJCAA National Championship is a familiar competition for the PC softball team. Back in 1979, the first year of the NJCAA National Championship, PC placed first among the other community colleges in the nation. They continued their winning streak in 2000 and 2001. In 2002, PC took fourth place and in 2003, they came in fifth. Now in 2004, PC is ranked number one in the country, is the favorite among the teams and is ready for their big comeback!

"The whole team is very good, we have great pitchers, strong hitters and an awesome defense team," said Heinz Mueller, Head Softball Coach at Phoenix College. "We had only 42 errors all year, which is phenomenal."

With 64 games played in the toughest conference in the country, the PC softball team is confident and prepared to show their skills in Iowa. One of the best talents the PC softball team possesses is pitching. In softball, pitching is key to team success, and PC’s strong and accurate pitchers give them an advantage among other teams.

Ramie Garcia, sophomore, and Rachael Schwartz, freshman, are PC’s two star pitchers. Combined, they have pitched every single game throughout the season. Garcia racked up 28 wins and 4 losses and is a First Team All Conference winner. Schwartz is not far behind with 26 wins and 6 losses, and is a Second Team All Conference winner. Both women were chosen for the All American Team this year.

Along with exceptional pitchers, PC has also profited from their hitters. In softball, a batting average over .500 is quite unusual. The PC softball team is fortunate to have two players with averages well above the norm.

With a batting average of .576, Ashley Bray, freshman, is number one in the country for batting average. Bray made Second Team All Conference and First Team All Region. Her teammate, Chelsea Mesa, freshman, made First Team All Conference and All American and sustains a high batting average of .558. Both women are exceptionally good hitters and are of the best in the country for hitting.

"Our team is not only a success on the field, we’re also very successful off the field, " said Mueller. "The team GPA this year was 3.5. That is very important to us."

From May 20 to May 22, 2004, the PC softball team will show the nation that past success, strong players and team dedication pay off when they bring home another NJCAA National Championship victory.

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