April 28, 2005

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army received a school record and conference-high eight all-league spots on the Patriot League's first and second-team all-league softball squads announced by the conference office Thursday. The Black Knights, breaking last year's mark of seven student-athlete selections, saw four earn spots on both the first and second teams with five repeat picks.

Landing spots on the first team were senior shortstop Lauren Gobar, senior second baseman Lindsay March, sophomore designated player Veronica Lauzon and freshman pitcher Veronica Barth. Named to the second all-star unit were senior first baseman Lisa Huntington, outfielders junior Nikki Posey and sophomore Lindsey Gerheim and freshman utility player Kelly Trout.

It is the fourth straight year that March and Huntington were chosen for all-star honors by the league coaches. March earned her second straight first-team certificate and third overall along with a second-team citation, while Huntington has been named to the second unit all four years. The last three have been as a first baseman following here selectioin as the designated player in 2002.

It is the third straight year that Posey was selected for second-team honors and the second time that Gobar and Gerheim were cited as all-stars. Gobar repeated as a first-team pick this year, while Gerheim, who is in her first season in right field, was named to the second unit after being a first-team pick as the designated player last year. She was also the league's top rookie in 2004.

Army's group, which had one more player selected than regular-season champion Lehigh, ranks among the league leaders in just about every offensive category along with climbing the school's all-time charts. The Black Knights, the hottest hitting team in the league with a school record .307 batting average that ranks 22nd nationally, boast five of the league's top 15 hitters on its roster.

Lisa Huntingtoni

In the league standings, Huntington lists fifth in batting (.360), March is eighth (.328), Posey 10th (.322), Gerheim 13th (.312) and Gobar 15th (.310). Huntington, who is second in the league in slugging percentage (.570) and ranked among the leaders in home runs (4), walks, (17) and runs scored (28), has been steadily climbing Army's career charts in nine categories. She garnered league weekly honors twice along with earning ECAC weekly honors.

The California native, who has played 176 games driving in 115 runs and smacking 14 dingers, needs three more RBI to become the all-time leader at the Academy and four more home runs to eclipse the school mark. She is third all-time in doubles, sixth in hits and tied for seventh in runs scored. The four-year starter needs to maintain her batting average in order to retain her hold on eighth place on the single-season chart.

March and Gobar are chasing each other on the career list in several categories. March is third in hits (just four shy of second place), fourth in doubles and runs scored, sixth in stolen bases, and ninth in runs batted in. She is tied with Gerheim as the league's leader in runs scored (33), is third in walks (18), tied for third in triples (2), tied for fourth in stolen bases (10), is fifth in hits and on base percentage (.429).

Gobar established the Academy record for stolen bases last year and set the league standard this year, now at 76. She needs just four to eclipse the school record for triples, now at 15, and stands second in total bases (247). She is fourth in hits, third in runs scored, fifth in runs batted in and bases on balls, seventh in both doubles and home runs.

The shortstop from Richmond, Texas, needs three stolen bases to equal the school's single season record of 22. She had 21 thefts last year and 19 this season in leading Army and the Patriot League for the fourth straight year. In addition to leading the league in stolen bases, she is tied for third in triples (2), fourth in hits (45) and fifth in runs scored (28).

Posey is batting third among the regulars with a .322 average, 348 in league games, with 15 extra base hits providing power in the lower half of the lineup. A stalwart in left field since her freshman year, she is tied with Gobar for seventh place on Army's list for home runs and eighth in doubles. Posey could also break into the top 10 this weekend in runs batted in, triples and stolen bases this weekend. She is tied for third in the league with 12 doubles this season, two behind leader and teammate Darcy Wilson (15)

Gerheim is in her first season as the starting right fielder. Ranked among the conference leaders, she is tied with March for the lead in runs scored (33), is second to Gobar in stolen bases (14), tied for second in home runs (5) and runs batted in ,(28) tied for fifth in doubles (11), eighth in hits (40), ninth in slugging percentage (.516) and 10th in on base percentage (.396). Gerheim also ranks third on Army's career chart for home runs (13).

Lauzon, who alternated between catching and designated player duties last year, took over the role as the team's primary designated player this year with Gerheim's move to right field. She blossomed in that role as evidenced by her selection to the league's first unit. She is second on the team in batting .389 with 35 hits along with six doubles and four home runs for a team-leading .589 slugging percentage. Lauzon, ranked 37th nationally in batting average (.405) in the NCAA's second poll of the season, lists 10th on Army's all-time home run chart and just needs two to break into the top 10 list in doubles.

Veronica Barth

Barth is just the second Army pitcher to be recognized in her rookie season, but first named to the first unit. She posted a 2.71 earned run average and an 8-5 record, along with two saves. She pitched a team-high 95.2 innings o rank sixth in the league. Barth posted a 5-2 record and 2.01 ERA in 11 league appearances to stand sixth in conference play. She ranked among the leaders in saves (tied for second), wins (fourth), innings pitched (sixth), strikeouts (ninth), opponent batting average (eighth).

Trout is the first Army player singled out for utility honors competing both as pitcher and hitter. She fashioned a 3-1 league record with a 2.80 ERA in eight appearances, while showing a 4-2 overall mark and 3.77 ERA. She batted .375 collecting 21 hits in 56 plate appearances with five doubles and one home run along with eight runs batted in.

Regular-season champion Lehigh dominated the major awards with Fran Troyan tabbed "Coach of the Year," Emily Ling the "Pitcher of the Year," the second time in three years, and Kate Marvel the "Rookie of the Year." Bucknell's Lauren Wible was selected "Player of the Year" after leading the league and nation with a .516 batting average.

Army (27-19, 12-6 PL), earning its sixth straight postseason berth, heads to the Patriot League Tournament this weekend in Bethlehem, Pa., as the No. 2 seed in the four-team field. The Black Knights take on No. 3 Colgate (19-17, 11-8) in the opening round of the double-elimination tournament Saturday at 9 a.m., while top seed Lehigh (35-7, 18-0) meets No. 4 Bucknell (15-18, 8-10) at 11 a.m. The winners from the two opening rounds advance to the 1 p.m. game with the losers meeting at 3 p.m.

The final game Saturday at 5 p.m. will decide who advances to Sunday's championship round. The two remaining teams will play Sunday for the league's automatic NCAA berth. The first game is at 1 p.m. with the second scheduled for 3 p.m. if needed.

Army has advanced to the championship finals the last three years (eight overall), but have had to settle for second place the past two years after winning the title in 2002. Lehigh is the reigning champion, while Colgate won the title in 2003.