The 2008 All Citizen Softball Team

The nominees for the 2008 All Citizen Softball team have been submitted and pored over for hours upon hours.

Coach - Stacey Smith - Whitewater - With her team at or near the top of the state rankings all season long, Smith navigated her team through a tough region schedule and several tournaments against some of the state’s top teams.

Pitcher - Whitney Toler - Whitewater - In 32 games, Toler went 26-7-1 with an 0.73 ERA and 216 strike outs. She pitched 22 complete games, 10 shutouts and two no hitters, walking only 52 batters in 172.33 innings pitched.

Catcher - Katie Sowers - McIntosh - Sowers, a freshman, had 22 hits in 46 at-bats with three doubles and two triples and only struck out three times. She recorded a .478 batting average with a slugging percentage of .630 and an on-base percentage of .574. Sowers was also quick on the bases with eight stolen bases in eight attempts.

First base - Kayla Awbrey - Sandy Creek - Awbrey led the Lady Patriots with 39 RBI. She had 53 hits and scored 24 runs, carrying a .421 batting average through the season and had an on-base percentage of .463.

Second base - McKenzie Woody - Whitewater - Woody had a .463 batting average this season with 57 hits, 46 runs, 15 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

Shortstop - Candace Dunn - Sandy Creek - Dunn batted .408 in 2008 with 51 hits and and 14 RBI, batting in the second spot in the lineup. She also came up big in the state tournament, batting .313.

Third base - Jamie Saunders - Whitewater - Saunders batted .477 with 41 RBI and 53 hits and 34 runs. She had 16 doubles, four triples and three home runs this season and also had a slugging percentage of .775.

Outfield - Hannah Braswell - Sandy Creek - Braswell hit seven home runs and had 37 hits and 19 RBI this season, batting .370 during the regular season and .529 in the state tournament with two home runs.

Outfield - Ashley Schwab - Whitewater - Schwab batted .345, drove in 16 runs on 40 hits, scored 31 runs and stole 10 bases.

Outfield - Kaitlyn Johnson - Whitewater - Johnson batted .411, hit three home runs and 10 doubles and had 46 hits.

Outfield - Meagan Sitton - Sandy Creek - Sitton had 61 hits and a .469 batting average, hitting 11 doubles and driving in 11 runs. Sitton also batted .367 in the state tournament.

2008 All Citizen Softball Team - Second team

Pitcher - Kayla Folds - Sandy Creek - Folds went 20-7 in 2008 with a 1.01 ERA and 130 strike outs. She gave up 79 hits and allowed 26 walks, facing 618 batters this season.

Catcher - Chasity Welch - Fayette County - Welch was one of the leading hitters for the Lady Tigers with a .17 batting average.

First base - Veronica Harper - Starr’s Mill - Harper batted .364 this season with eight doubles and 13 RBI. She also had nine stolen bases.

Second base - Kenyah Smith - Fayette County - Smith, a freshman, led the Lady Tigers with a .429 batting average.

Shortstop - Alexis Evans - Starr’s Mill - Evans, a sophomore, batted .447 this year with nine doubles and 10 RBI.

Third base - Jessica Conaway - McIntosh - Conaway batted .432 this season, driving in 17 runs. She had a slugging percentage of .622, an on base percentage of .524 and stole four bases on four attempts.

Outfield - Ariel Shaw - McIntosh - Shaw batted lead-off for the Lady Chiefs and batted .500 in 52 at bats, striking out only eight times. She drove in nine runs, scored 24 times and stole 12 bases in 14 attempts.

Outfield - Karley Aszman - Starr’s Mill - Aszman batted .352 with 17 RBI and 24 runs scored.

Honorable mention -

Pitcher - Candace Newberry - Fayette County - Newberry pitched all the games for Fayette County and went 5-10. Coach Jill Joiner stated that her ERA may not be great but her heart was in every game.

* The coaches in the county nominated players and provided statistics for them. The sports editor merely put them in an order that he thinks (hopes) makes sense.