Lucas named ECAC All-Star catcher
Posted: 07/06/2011
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh catcher Liz Lucas capped off one of the finest offensive seasons in school history by being named an ECAC All-Star Wednesday afternoon. Lucas led the Mountain Hawks in batting average, doubles, home runs and runs batted in as part of her sensational sophomore campaign as she became Lehigh’s first softball ECAC All-Star since 2008.
The only Mountain Hawk to start all 56 games in 2011, Lucas led Lehigh and ranked third in the Patriot League with a .380 batting average. Lucas set a school and Patriot League single season record with 21 doubles, and was by far Lehigh’s top run producer with ten home runs and a league-leading 48 runs batted in.
Lucas started the year on a torrid pace, hitting .441 with 27 RBI over Lehigh’s first 20 games. A first team All-Patriot League selection, Lucas saved her best performance of the year for the Patriot League tournament, where she clubbed three home runs and had seven RBI in Lehigh’s Patriot League championship clinching 14-0 win over Colgate. In the process, Lucas set a Patriot League tournament record with eight RBI, as Lehigh outscored its opponents 29-4 in three games to win its sixth tournament title in the last eight years. Lucas also proved herself on the national level as she accounted for two of Lehigh’s four hits in two NCAA tournament games against Baylor and Maryland.
In just two seasons, the Westminster, Colorado native already has 103 hits, 32 doubles, 16 home runs and 85 RBI. Lucas is the first Mountain Hawk honored by the ECAC since Lisa Sweeney was named ECAC Player of the Year in 2008.
The ECAC also announced its Division I softball awards on Wednesday. Fordham third baseman Jocelyn Dearborn was named Player of the Year, while Syracuse junior Jenna Caira was named Pitcher of the Year. Harvard third baseman Kasey Lange was named Rookie of the Year, and Hofstra’s Bill Edwards was named Coach of the Year.
Lehigh capped off another successful season in 2011 with a 33-23 record. The Mountain Hawks posted their 11th consecutive 30-plus win season and reached the NCAA tournament for the sixth time in the last eight years.