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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Oak Mountain’s Emily Hart (34) during an at-bat in a game against Hoover at Jim Brown Field on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Spain Park’s Ella Reed (7) pitches in a game against Thompson during the Class 7A state softball tournament at Choccolocco Park in Oxford on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. The Jags fell to the Warriors 4-2. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Spain Park’s Katie Flannery (6) tags Thompson’s Neely Davis (1) out at second base on a steal during the Class 7A state softball tournament at Choccolocco Park in Oxford on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. The Jags fell to the Warriors 4-2. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Spain Park’s Maggie Daniel (14) smiles as she rounds third base after hitting a homer in a game against Vestavia Hills at Spain Park High School on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Chelsea’s Hardy Erwin (23) pitches in game one of the Class 6A area 9 tournament against Briarwood at the Chelsea Sports Complex on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Briarwood’s Meredith Kellum (55) makes contact during an at-bat in game one of the Class 6A area 9 tournament against Chelsea at the Chelsea Sports Complex on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Another high school softball season is in the books, with several standout players and teams worthy of mention on the All-South Metro team, put together by Starnes Media.
Hewitt-Trussville swept the player superlatives, with Kenleigh Cahalan earning Player of the Year and Hitter of the Year honors. She had yet another outstanding season for the Class 7A runner-up Huskies, as she hit for a .549 average with 13 home runs and 66 runs batted in. Sara Phillips is the Pitcher of the Year after posting an 18-1 record and a microscopic 0.47 earned run average.
Player of the Year: Kenleigh Cahalan, Hewitt-Trussville
Pitcher of the Year: Sara Phillips, Hewitt-Trussville
Hitter of the Year: Kenleigh Cahalan, Hewitt-Trussville
Author’s note: It was impossible to pick a top coach this year. Taylor Burt from Hewitt-Trussville, Lexi Shrout from Hoover and C.J. Urse Hawkins from Spain Park did incredible jobs with their teams to take them deep into the 7A state tournament. Heather McGuirk also led Mountain Brook to the regional tournament for the first time since 2014. They are all outstanding leaders of their respective programs.
1ST TEAM
Pitcher: Sara Phillips, Hewitt-Trussville; the sophomore led the Huskies’ pitching staff in addition to hitting nine home runs.
Pitcher: Miah Simmons, Vestavia Hills; threw 133 innings to lead the Rebels and posted a 1.90 ERA.
Pitcher: Ella Reed, Spain Park; achieved 20 wins, 208 strikeouts and a sub-2.00 ERA for the fifth-place Jags.
Catcher: Maggie Daniel, Spain Park; led the area with 14 home runs and knocked in 53 runs.
First base: Libby Pippin, Vestavia Hills; capped off her stellar career with a .400 average, six homers and 46 RBIs.
Second base: Hannah Dorsett, Hewitt-Trussville; continues to be one of the best all-around players in the area, hitting .418 with 66 hits and 31 steals.
Third base: Olivia Faggard, Hewitt-Trussville; hit 10 homers and knocked in 52 runs in a breakout year.
Shortstop: Kenleigh Cahalan, Hewitt-Trussville; reached base at an eye-popping .672 clip, racking up 79 hits and 52 walks.
Infield: Katie Flannery, Spain Park; hit 10 homers and drove in 50 runs.
Infield: Bella Foran, Hoover; hit .471, notched 74 hits and stole 22 bases.
Outfield: Gracie Hillman, Hoover; hit .514 with an eye-popping 50 stolen bases from the top of the lineup.
Outfield: Hannah Christian, Hoover; racked up 79 hits and 36 steals.
Outfield: Emma Hawkins, Spain Park; reached base at a .500 clip and stole 23 bases.
DH: Charlotte Phillips, John Carroll; finished her career by hitting six homers and knocking in 63 runs.
Utility: Riley Tyree, Hewitt-Trussville: hit .400 and drove in 48 runs for the potent Huskies’ offense.
Utility: Mallory Ogle, John Carroll; posted a phenomenal .617 average, stole 37 bases and pitched some for the Cavs.
2ND TEAM
Pitcher: Sarah Hindman, Hewitt-Trussville; capped off her career with a 14-5 record and 1.92 ERA, striking out 200 batters.
Pitcher: Olivia Christian, Hoover; posted 17 wins and threw 125 1/3 innings for the Bucs.
Pitcher: Hardy Erwin, Chelsea; led the Hornets with eight wins on the season.
Catcher: Campbell Hecklinski, Hoover; capped off her career by hitting nine homers and driving in 49 runs.
First base: Kayla Coley-Drayton, John Carroll; hit .510 and knocked in 43 runs.
Second base: Carolyne Hecklinski, Hoover; piled up 57 hits and 35 RBIs.
Third base: Hunter Dunn, Homewood; capped off her career with a .478 on-base percentage and 32 RBIs.
Shortstop: Gracie Mills, John Carroll; reached base at a .625 clip, stealing 35 bases and only getting caught once.
Infield: Charlee Bennett, Spain Park; slugged eight home runs and stole 26 bases.
Infield: Emily Hart, Oak Mountain; hit five home runs and finished with a .500 on-base percentage.
Outfield: Riley Rudick, Hewitt-Trussville; drove in 33 runs and hit .331.
Outfield: Olivia Trout, Chelsea; hit .380 with six homers and 29 RBIs in addition to being one of the team’s top pitchers.
Outfield: Susanna Sheehan, Homewood; posted a .421 average and .516 on-base percentage from the top of the order.
DH: Meredith Kellum, Briarwood; hit .435 with seven homers for the Lions.
Utility: Ellie Pitts, Mountain Brook; hit .445, drove in 27 runs and stole 32 bases while being the Spartans top pitcher as well.
Utility: Annie Gregory, John Carroll; drove in 40 runs while also being the Cavs’ top pitcher.
HONORABLE MENTION
Pitcher: Julie Amacher, Chelsea; Maia Harris, Chelsea; Katherine Brown, Spain Park; Caroline Whisenhunt, Spain Park; Zoe Couch, Homewood
Catcher: Hannah Marler, Chelsea; Anna DuBose, Oak Mountain; Anna Sullivan, Pinson Valley
First base: Abby Hibbs, Chelsea
Second base: Jadyn Buff, Chelsea
Third base: Edith Kaplan, Mountain Brook
Shortstop: Zyian Dunning, Clay-Chalkville; Elizabeth Zaleski, Oak Mountain
Outfield: Emma Jolley, Spain Park; Morgan Brewer, Chelsea; Kathryn Bryars, Chelsea; LaDonna Scott, Clay-Chalkville; Alea Rye, Oak Mountain
