Ligon heads All-Sentinel softball team
UDA's Krysten Ligon joined by four teammates and players from area schools to form "dream team"
By Kevin Reagan
SPORTS WRITER

With the quality of softball players from this area, Upper Dauphin Sentinel sports writers have always been busy late into spring season.

For the second straight season the Upper Dauphin Area Trojans went as far as a team can go. That's why it's the second week of July and we're still hashing out our All-Star teams.

Even though the quality of players in the area is second to none, the selection of the Sentinel Player of the Year was an easy one as one athlete stood out as a unanimous decision.

UDA's Krysten Ligon is the clear-cut selection for our Softball Player of the Year after putting the finishing touches on her prolific career.

Ligon's individual statistics for the season are listed later in this article with the pitchers, but some of her career marks just jump off of the page.

Anchored by a .674 batting average in 14 Tri-Valley League games, Ligon shattered her school's single season record for hits with 42.

Her prolific season helped her finish with 101 career hits, tying her for second with Kristi Bingaman and one behind former teammate Janelle Antes.

In the circle, Ligon holds school records for career wins (56), shutouts (26) and is second all-time in strikeouts (533). She holds single-season records for shutouts (10) and best earned run average (0.35).

This year's All-Sentinel softball team features 18  players on the first team with at least one selection at every position and Ligon heading a five-deep pitching staff. An additional seven players were selected as honorable mentions.

CATCHER

Kylie Schrey, UDA. Had big shoes to fill, but stepped right in for former four-year starter Jen Messner as a sophomore. Schrey provided solid defense behind the plate and batted clean-up for the Trojans' potent offense. For the season, Schrey batted .368 with four doubles, two triples and 25 RBIS. 

Ally Kochenhour, Millersburg. The hot-hitting Kochenhour really found her stroke in the second-half of the season and finished with five triples, seven runs and eight RBIs. Kochenhour led her team at the plate for the second straight season with a team-high batting average of 325.

FIRST BASE

Lindsay Brown, UDA. Followed up on a solid freshman with an even better sophomore season for the Trojans this year. Batted .368 with 17 runs scored and 16 RBIs and also turned in solid performances in the circle for UDA. In four starts Brown went 4-0 with 31 strikeouts and a 1.27 ERA.

SECOND BASE

Mary Readinger, Williams Valley. After spending most of her freshman season as a designated player, Readinger locked down a spot in the field and also stepped up as the Vikings' most feared hitter. In her sophomore season Readinger scorched opposing pitcher for a .431 batting average with five triples, five home runs and 31 RBIs.

Nikki Snyder, Tri-Valley. Snyder recovered from knee injury in 2007 with a highly productive junior season in which she batted .390 with three doubles, three triples and five home runs. Led the Bulldogs with 22 RBIs and also scored 12 runs.

SHORTSTOP

Sarah Dietrich, UDA. Another one of the Trojans' young guns that Head Coach Rich Keeney just could not keep off the field and justified it with a .391 batting average. The Trojans' leadoff hitter belted four doubles, eight triples, two home runs to go along with 15 RBIs and 28 runs scored. In the circle, Dietrich turned in a 4-2 record with a save and finished with 66 strikeouts and a 0.19 ERA after allowing only one earned run in 37 innings.

Madi Nestor, Williams Valley. As a four-year starter, Nestor was a key member of the Vikings' back-to-back District 11-A championship teams in 2006 and 2007 and runner-up this season. Nestor made only one error in the field and gave her team a chance to score every time she reached base. In her senior season, Nestor batted .323, scored 26 runs and had 18 stolen bases for the Vikings.

Carol Heim, Tri-Valley. Heim had no trouble in the transition over from third base this season. The Bulldogs junior batted .355 from the top of the lineup and had an on-base percentage of .473. Racked up 22 runs, four doubles, two home runs and 13 RBIs.

THIRD BASE

Kayla Korab, Halifax. After forcing her way into the lineup as a freshman, Korab followed up by becoming one of the top hitters in the Tri-Valley League, finishing in the top ten in batting average (.438), slugging percentage (.729) and RBIs (18). Also scored 11 runs and hit five triples in TVL action.

Nicole Erdman, Line Mountain. Erdman was the team leader in her senior season for Jordan Taraschuk's Eagles with her ability to play at the hot corner and pitch. Erdman hit .267 and led the team in RBIs, extra-base hits and on-base percentage.

OUTFIELD

Olivia Klinger, Williams Valley. If steady defense in the outfield is what you want, Klinger can deliver. In her career as a four-year starter, she made only one error. Klinger could bring it at the plate as well, as evidenced by her .386 career batting average. This season, she hit .347 with two home runs, 14 runs and 16 RBIs.

Emalie Stroup, UDA. Came back from an injury-plagued junior season by posting solid numbers for the Trojans. In 22 games this season for UDA, Stroup batted .429 with eight doubles and 20 RBIs.

Addy Sponsler, Millersburg. Sponsler was more of a utility player for the Indians this season, filling in where needed for the injury ravaged Tribe. While splitting time at second base, shortstop, catcher and outfield, Sponsler batted .302 with six runs and seven RBIs for Millersburg.

PITCHER

Alysha Bixler, Williams Valley. What was an area for concern for the Vikings at the beginning of the season, quickly resolved itself with Bixler emerging on a 1-2 pitching staff. In her first season starting, Bixler went 8-1 with a 0.81 ERA and struck out 55 in 52 innings. At the plate, she provided a solid bat in the Williams Valley, hitting .339 with three triples, four home runs and 19 RBIs.

Kassie Boyer, Halifax. Finished up her career with the Wildcats with another solid season by going 5-4 in TVL games with a 3.24 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings pitched. Was also a key cog in the 'Cats' offense with her .261 batting average, nine runs, nine stolen bases and eight RBIs in TVL action.

Krysten Ligon, UDA. The Sentinel's pick for Player of the Year had a phenomenal senior season to finish off an equal stellar career. Dominated opposing batters to the tune of a 14-1 record with a 0.35 ERA. In 100 innings of work, Ligon gave up only five earned runs and eight walks while striking out 129. At the plate, she batted a blistering .519 with eight doubles, two triples, a home run and 32 RBIs. 

Kayla Miller, Williams Valley. The Vikings' second part of their 1-2 combo in the circle. Miller pitched in some of the team's biggest games this season, posting an 8-5 record with a 1.24 ERA and striking out 82 in 85 innings of work.

Jenni Weber, Tri-Valley. Weber earns her third selection to the team in as many chances with another solid season for Marty Shade's Bulldogs. As the team's top pitcher, Weber posted 10 wins with a 1.25 ERA and 120 strikeouts. Weber also led the team at the plate with a .431 batting average and had six doubles, four triples a home run and 20 RBIs.

HONORABLE MENTION

Brittany Barnes, Tri-Valley; Christina Bell, Halifax; Myranda Cox, Halifax; Kaila Deitrich, Williams Valley; Maggie Fessler, Line Mountain; Jacki Smith, Millersburg; and Chelsea Wetzel, Williams Valley. 

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