Lehigh University Athletics
Eight named to All-Patriot League teams
5/5/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Led by seven first-team selections, Lehigh placed league-best eight student-athletes on the All-Patriot League softball teams, which were announced on Tuesday. Senior Lisa Sweeney became just the seventh four-time first-team All-League selection in Patriot League softball history as she joined junior Tiffany Curtis as the two first team pitchers. In addition, seniors Whitney Lowe and Alisha Gonzales, sophomore Alex Cueva and freshmen Julie Fernandez and Audra Wood all earned first team accolades, while freshman Jen Colquhoun earned a spot as the second-team shortstop.
Sweeney has shaken off a slow start to regain her spot as the top pitcher in the Patriot League. The three-time reigning Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, Sweeney leads the league with 19 victories and also tops the league in earned-run average (2.22), strikeouts (209) and shutouts (seven). Sweeney has been even better since the start of Patriot League play, with an 11-1 record and 1.18 ERA. She has won her last 12 decisions overall for the Brown and White.
Curtis joins Sweeney as the second pitcher on the first team. It’s the first first-team nod for Curtis who earned second-team honors as a freshman. Curtis is 13-6 with a 2.79 ERA and ranks second behind Sweeney in wins and strikeouts (110). The junior right-hander has thrown five shutouts this season, including just the third perfect game in league history, in Lehigh’s 1-0 win over St. Bonaventure on March 3.
The only other repeat All-League selection went to Gonzales, who earned first team honors as the designated player, after being selected a first team outfielder in 2008. Gonzales ranks among the team’s offensive leaders with a .358 average, 12 doubles, four home runs and 25 runs batted in, but the senior has shined in Patriot League play, batting a blistering .438 with three homers and 16 RBI.
One of the most consistent hitters in the Lehigh lineup, Lowe earns the spot as the first-team second baseman. Lowe enters the upcoming Patriot League tournament batting .314 and is third on the Mountain Hawks with 49 hits and eight doubles.
The first-team third baseman, Cueva picks up her first career All-League nod thanks to a torrid end to the regular season, where she is batting .448 over her last 10 games to raise her season average to .295. One of five native Californians to earn All-League honors for Lehigh, Cueva also has seven RBI in her last ten games and is tied for third on the Mountain Hawks with 25 this season.
The Patriot League’s leading hitter and the only player to finish the regular season over .400 was plenty to earn Fernandez All-League honors at first base in her rookie campaign. Fernandez finished the regular season at .407 and also leads the league in base hits (61) and doubles (13). She has also been one of Lehigh’s top run producers with four home runs and a team-best 30 RBI.
Wood joins Fernandez as a freshman first-team All-League selection. The Mountain Hawks’ leadoff hitter and centerfielder batted .314 during the regular season and ranks second in the league with 36 runs scored. The native Texan did a lot of her damage on the base paths where she swiped 25 bases in 33 tries. The 25 steals lead the league and are the second highest single-season total in school annals.
The lone Mountain Hawk named to the second team, Colquhoun started 47 games at shortstop in her rookie season, batting .328 with 24 RBI. Defensively, Colquhon has brought stability to the shortstop position for a Lehigh team that leads the Patriot League in fielding percentage.
The Patriot League will announce its major award winners on Wednesday.
Fresh off its 11th straight Patriot League regular season championship, Lehigh (33-16-1, 17-3 Patriot League) will host the Patriot League tournament beginning Thursday at Kaufman Field. The top-seeded Mountain Hawks will open the tournament against No. 4 Lafayette, Thursday at 2 p.m. Thursday’s game, and all of Lehigh’s postseason action will be broadcast on WLVR-FM (91.3) as well as online at Lehighsports.com with streaming powered by Yahoo! Sports College Broadcast. Pregame coverage begins at 1:45.
