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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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