Lehigh University Athletics
Fernandez garners Player of the Week honors
3/11/2009 10:15:00 AM | Softball
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh freshman Julie Fernandez has been named Patriot League Player of the Week, for the week ending March 8, the league announced on Tuesday. Fernandez batted .481 in eight games last week to lead the Mountain Hawks, who went 5-6 on their Florida trip which included stops at the Rebel Spring Games and the Under Armour Invitational. The award is the second of the year for Fernandez, who was named the league’s Rookie of the Week on February 24.
Fernandez hit safely in seven of eight games played between March 2 and March 8. She finished the week with 13 hits in 27 at-bats, including four doubles, a home run and four runs batted in. The highlight of the week for the Moorpark, California native was the March 2 game versus Fairfield, where Fernandez went 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and a two-run home run, which spurred Lehigh to a five-run fifth inning in a 7-1 victory. She also went 3-for-4 in a losing effort against Ball State on Saturday.
On the season, Fernandez is batting .386 and leads the Mountain Hawks with 17 hits and five doubles, and is tied for the team lead with three home runs. Her nine RBI are second to senior Lisa Sweeney for the team lead.
Also on Tuesday, junior Tiffany Curtis earned honorable mention recognition from the league after throwing just the third perfect game in Patriot League history, last Wednesday against St. Bonaventure. The perfect game was the highlight of a week in which Curtis went 1-1 in the circle with 24 strikeouts in 23.2 innings of work.
The Mountain Hawks will return to the diamond on Friday when they open up play at the JMU/Days Inn Invitational with games against Niagara at 9 a.m. and James Madison at 1 p.m. from Harrisonburg, Va.
