May 12, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell softball senior captains Erin Curatola (River Edge, N.J./River Dell) and Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) were named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team following the conclusion of this past weekend's double-elimination event, which Lehigh won on Sunday. The Bison placed third in the four-team field, posting a 1-2 record.

Curatola was 6-for-12 with two doubles, one run scored and one run batted in during Bucknell's three games in the tournament. Her .500 batting average topped the team, while her best performance came when she went 3-for-4 with two doubles in a 9-5 loss to top-seeded Lehigh on Saturday morning.

Curatola, who ended the season on a seven-game hitting streak, recorded hits in 13 of the final 14 games and was fourth on the team with a .314 batting average in 2008. Her 11 doubles tied for the team lead, while her 182 games played are the most by any Bison player in history. She concluded her career playing in 114 consecutive contests.

Bucknell's top run producer this past season, Curatola drove in a career-high 33 runs, a figure that is tied for fifth on the Bison single-season list. Her career RBI total of 71 places her 10th on Bucknell's career ledger.

Wiest, also a senior who saw her career come to an end with the conclusion of the Patriot League Tournament, had an outstanding outing last Thursday in Bucknell's 1-0 10-inning victory over Lafayette in the opening game of the tournament. Wiest allowed just five hits and struck out seven as she helped the Bison to their third Patriot League Tournament victory since winning the 1997 title. Wiest extended her scoreless innings streak to 24.2 with her fifth shutout of the season. That number moved to 27.2 before the Mountain Hawks finally scored a run off Wiest in the fourth inning on Saturday.

Wiest finished the Patriot League Tournament with a 1-1 record and a 3.06 ERA after Lehigh scored nine runs, seven of which were earned, on Saturday.

Wiest finished the season among the Bucknell single-season leaders in games (1st, 32), games started (1st, 28), wins (t-3rd, 13), shutouts (t-6th, 5), innings pitched (1st, 181.2) and strikeouts (2nd, 106).

On the career list, Wiest is among the Bucknell leaders in games (1st, 117), games started (1st, 93), wins (5th, 33), shutouts (4th, 10), innings pitched (1st, 560.2) and strikeouts (1st, 364).

Bucknell opened the Patriot League Tournament with that thrilling, 10-inning 1-0 victory over Lafayette on Thursday. After a rainout on Friday, the Bison lost 9-5 to Lehigh in their first game Saturday and then were eliminated from the tournament later that afternoon with a 6-4 eight-inning loss to the Leopards.

The Bison completed the 2008 campaign with a 23-29 record, the fourth-highest win total in program history. They tied for second in the Patriot League standings with a program-record 13 victories and advanced to the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2005.

2008 Patriot League All-Tournament Team
Veronica Barth, Army
Mary Ann Kearney, Army
Erin Curatola, Bucknell
Christie Wiest, Bucknell
Christina Giambrone, Lafayette
Kerry Griffin, Lafayette
Ali Henry, Lafayette
Alisha Gonzales, Lehigh
Whitney Lowe, Lehigh
Carly Potock, Lehigh
Lisa Sweeney, Lehigh
2008 Patriot League Tournament MVP
Lisa Sweeney, Lehigh