Missouri University of Science and Technology

(Rolla, Mo.) – Missouri S&T softball coach Don Kennedy has announced the signing of two players to national letters of intent to play for the Lady Miners in the 2010 season.

The newcomers are Briana Catanese, a pitcher and outfielder from Kankakee Community College in Kankakee, Ill.; and Katherine Runyan, an outfielder from Crown Point, Ind.

“We are happy to bring in Bri and Katie into our already nice group of players that we’ve signed in the fall,” Kennedy said. “They are going to add to our program and step in and help us right away.”

Catanese, who is originally from Addison, Ill., has pitched in 15 games this season for the Cavaliers and is 9-3 with a 2.44 ERA for the 10th ranked team in NJCAA Division II. She has pitched 66 innings allowing 72 hits while striking out 54 while yielding only 23 walks. As a freshman she went 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA in 40 2/3 innings of work striking out 33 and walking only nine for a team that went 43-11 and won the Region IV championship. She is also a member of Phi Theta Kapa.

Catanese, was a two-time all-conference selections her junior and senior years at Addison Trail High School for head coach Becky Remus. She was also a honorable mention all-area selection her senior year.

“Bri has made a nice comeback from an injury her freshman year. She’s done a nice job with that by looking at her stats,” Kennedy said. “She will bring some added depth to our pitching staff which will put us up to three pitchers right now with a possibility of four.”

Runyan is currently a senior at Boone Grove High School in Valparaiso, Ind., where she plays center field for the Wolves. She is currently hitting .457 on the season with four doubles, four triples and a home run while driving in 14 runs. She has a slugging percentage of .886 and an on-base percentage of .486. Runyan has been a part of two sectional winning teams in 2007 and 2008. She has earned all-conference and all-region accolades.

Runyan has been named Boone Grove’s Salutatorian and is a member of the school’s National Honor Society and Academic Hall of Fame.

“Katie brings some more speed to our team and is not afraid to run through a fence in the outfield to catch fly balls,” Kennedy said. “She brings a good a bat to the lineup and comes from a very successful high school program that is trying to get back to the state tournament this year. She plays summer ball with a pretty good program in the Illinois Outlaws.”