Lehigh University Athletics
Softball team's season concludes
9/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Bethlehem, PA – Lehigh concluded its 2003 season on Saturday, falling to Army and Colgate in the Patriot League Tournament. The Mountain Hawks concluded the year with a 39-10 overall record, 19-1 in the Patriot League. Lehigh also set numerous records along the way, including the Patriot League’s longest ever winning streak, most league wins, most team wins in a season, and best fielding percentage. Individual marks were set as well. Stephanie Digneo and Jenny Bender, Lehigh’s one-two punch in the middle of the batting order, cemented themselves in the annals of league history. Digneo finished her career with 257 hits, good enough for first all-time in the Patriot League. Digneo’s feat surpasses that of assistant coach Kim Miller, who managed 247 career hits between 1993-1996. During Lehigh’s final game of the season, Bender also moved past Miller, to complete her career with 248 career hits. Another hitting milestone for Bender is that she will rank third in league history for career runs batted in. Although Digneo broke one of the toughest records in the league, Bender’s name will appear in the record brooks for not just hitting, it will be there for pitching as well. Bender, with her work out of the bullpen this season, will rank second in the league in career saves. Lehigh will return everyone to a jam-packed lineup except Digneo and Bender. Although the squad will say goodbye to players that have averaged more than 60 hits and 10 wins per season respectively, the squad will retain one of the best all around teams in the league. The Mountain Hawks will place six all-league players on the diamond, including Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Emily Ling, second baseman Jessica Young, and right fielder Shana Treon.
