photo by: Nick Henthorn
Wheeling Central’s Josie Frizzell throws out a pitch during the Maroon Knights’ sectional championship game against Magnolia. Frizzell was named to the WVSWA Class A softball all-state first team on Tuesday.
CHARLESTON – It’s been a process for head coach Lacy Riggs’ St. Marys High School softball program.
For the first time in school history, the Blue Devils not only won the Little Kanawha Conference title, but the Pleasants County program ultimately emerged as Class A state champions for the first time.
A key cog in that success was junior left-handed pitcher Cali Masters, who was named captain of the first-team all-state selection by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
“She’s a big asset and she’s mentally strong,” said Coach Riggs, who knows trying to repeat next year will be a challenge after placing third in the state in 2022 and second to Wahama last spring.
“I was surrounded, you could almost say, by a university field with what was behind me. We really had an exceptional infield and our outfield was nothing to write home about.”
In addition to hitting .408 with eight doubles, five triples, one home run and 29 RBIs, Masters threw two no-hitters against Wheeling Central in the regional series.
Masters finished with a 20-4 mark on the mound that featured a 0.33 ERA. In 147 innings of work, he allowed 59 hits, 39 walks and struck out 266.
The Blue Devil was joined on the first team for the third straight season by Wheeling Central junior pitcher Josie Frizzell and Petersburg senior Sam Colaw, who helped the Vikings finish second in the state.
Frizzell was 15-3 with a 0.95 ERA and 203 strikeouts. Colaw boasted a 20-6 record with a 2.24 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 166 frames. A utility pick, the Viking also hit .439 with 11 doubles, eight bombs and 32 RBIs.
Masters and Frizzell were joined on the first team by pitcher Kimmie Dillman, a senior from Buffalo, and Makenna Curran, a senior from Doddridge County. The Bulldog, whose team was upset by Petersburg in the regional, finished 22-11 with 307 strikeouts in 198 innings. Dillman finished with a 17-10 record, striking out 185 batters along with a .344 batting average and seven home runs at the plate.
The only four-time first-team honoree was St. Marys infielder Zoey Winland. To accompany his .420 average, the Blue Devil had 16 doubles, five triples, two round trips and drove in 39 while stealing 27 bags.
Two players were repeatedly selected on the top unit: Ravenswood junior Macy Casto and Tug Valley sophomore Bailee Hall.
The utility man Hall hit .547 with 18 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 30 RBIs and 40 steals. Inside the circle, he finished 17-7 with a 2.98 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 131 2-3 innings.
Casto, who earned an infield spot but saw her team fall to Buffalo in the regional, was the Red Devils’ best pitcher and recorded 277 strikeouts in 151 1-3 innings. At the plate, Casto hit .471 with eight doubles, nine home runs and 32 RBIs.
St. Marys also landed Ella Bullman on the first team in the outfield. The junior center fielder, who had no errors and had a trio of assists, stole 10 bases, batted .349, drove in 21 runs and had four doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs.
“We didn’t always start as hard and fast as we needed to, but at the end of the game I can’t think of a single time this season where they gave up,” Coach Riggs added of her trio of first-team players. staters and the rest of his team, which produced a school-record 31 wins against a quartet of setbacks.
“Several times during the season we were tied and we came back and won the game. They just didn’t give up. In my opinion, the state championship could not have gone to a more deserving group of kids. “Of course, I’m biased, but they really are a great group of kids.”
Joining Bullman in the first-team outfield were Tug Valley senior Haleigh Muncy (.481 AVG, 12-1-5, 44 RBI, 14 SB) and Trinity freshman Peyton Moore ( .565 AVG, 16-1-8, 38 RBI, 28 SB).
Two seniors earned top catcher awards: Ritchie County’s Jayci Gray (.420 AVG, 13-2-1, 37 RBI, 38 SB) and Sherman’s Lauren Guthrie (.596 AVG, 8-1- 8, 32 RBI, 10 SB). ).
Casto was joined on the first-team roster by Buffalo junior Kiera Cochran (.378 AVG, 8 HR), Petersburg freshman Miley Tingler (.407 AVG, 7-6-7, 31 RBI, 9 SB) and Wahama sophomore Fiona VanMatre (. 516 AVG, 11-0-1, 21 RBI, 9 SB).
The other two utility picks were taken by Pendleton County junior Baylee Beachler and Midland Trail freshman Madison Rader. MTHS, which reached the state tournament for the third time in four years, saw Rader go 15-6 with a 2.40 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 131 innings. She also hit .500 with six doubles, a triple, 21 RBIs and five steals. Beachler went 10-3 with a 0.89 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 78 1-3 innings. She also had a .438 average with 10 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 45 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
Wahama junior outfielder Payton Staats (.389 AVG, 5-3-1, 18 RBI, 10 SB) was honored as second-team captain.
Sherman Catholic sophomore Summer Harvey and Charleston Catholic sophomore Hannah Vriendt joined her in the outfield.
Moorefield senior Amber Williams, Greenbrier West sophomore Brilee Redden and Ritchie County freshman Rocklyn Marcum were the second-team pitchers, while sophomore Emily Wratchford Ravenswood, and Petersburg sophomore Ella Chew, were the recipients.
Second-team infield honors were shared by a trio of seniors in St. Marys’ Breanna Price, Magnolia’s Haidyn Bland and Williamstown’s Ava Johnson along with Midland Trial sophomore Nevaeh Hall and two freshmen Anna Casto of Ravenswood and Lexi Lowe of Sherman.
The quartet of second-team utility spots were filled by Magnolia junior Mallory McDiffitt, Doddridge County sophomore Riley Myers, Trinity freshman Paige Hopkins and Buffalo freshman Morgan Cobb.
Honorees across the state can obtain state-shaped wooden plaques with name, school, year and honor at wvswa.org or bearwoodcompany.com.
A class
First team
P – Cali Masters, St. Marys (Jr.) (CKeynoteUSATAIN)
Q – Kimmie Dillman, Buffalo (Sr.)
Q – MaKenna Curran, Doddridge County (Sr.)
P – Josie Frizzell, Wheeling Central (Junior)
YES – Zoey Winland, St. Marys (Sr.)
YES – Kiera Cochran, Buffalo (Jr.)
YES – Macy Casto, Ravenswood (Jr.)
IF – Miley Tingler, Petersburg, (P.)
YES – Fiona VanMatre, Wahama (Soph)
OF – Ella Bullman, St. Marys (Jr.)
OF – Haleigh Muncy, Tug Valley (Sr.)
OF – Peyton Moore, Trinity (P.)
C – Jayci Gray, Ritchie County (Sr.)
C – Lauren Guthrie, Sherman (Sr.)
UTL – Sam Colaw, Petersburg (Sr.)
UTL – Madison Rader, Midland Trail (Fr.)
UTL – Baylee Beachler, Pendleton (Jr.)
UTL – Bailee Hall, Tug Valley (Sof.)
A class
Second team
Q – Brilee Redden, Greenbrier West (Soph).
P – Rocklyn Marcum, Ritchie County (P.)
P – Amber Williams, Moorefield (Sr.)
YES – Lexi Lowe, Sherman (Fr.)
IF – Anna Casto, Ravenswood (Fr.)
IF – Haidyn Bland, Magnolia (Sr.)
YES – Breanna Price, St Marys (Sr.)
YES – Ava Johnson, Williamstown (Sr.)
IF – Nevaeh Hall, Midland Trail (Sof.)
OF – Payton Staats, Wahama (Jr.) (CKeynoteUSATAIN)
DE – Summer Harvey, Sherman (Jr.)
OF – Hannah Vriendt, Charleston Catholic (Soph.)
C – Ella Chew, Petersburg (Soph.)
C – Emily Wratchford, Ravenswood (Senior)
UTL – Riley Myers, Doddridge County (Soph.)
UTL – Mallory McDiffitt, Magnolia (Jr.)
UTL – Paige Hopkins, Trinity (P.)
UTL – Morgan Cobb, Buffalo (Fr.)
Honorable Mention
Olivia See, Doddridge County; Layla Smith, Gilmer County; Stevie Starsick, Gilmer County; Jessa Anderson, Magnolia; Layne Kincaid, St. Mary’s; Alexis Livingston, Tyler Consolidated; Kiersten Kirby, Williamstown; Hadley Ross, Doddridge County; Elissa Hoffman, Wahama; Amelya Wellman, Tug Valley; Avery Townsend, Pendleton County; Shanna Cabell, Van; Breigh Martin, Buffalo; Maddie Morris, Charleston Catholic; Maddie Strosnider, East Hardy; Preslee Treadway, Greenbrier West; Hannah Benson, Midland Trail; Creek’s Edge, Wheeling Central; Aubrey McCoy, Charleston Catholic; Ella Wingett, Virgin; Tori Sizemore, Montcalm; McKenna Crites, Moorefield; Bella Rine, Wheeling Central; Addison Armentrout, East Hardy; Maddie Fields, Greenbrier West; Jacklynn Barnett, Male; Addie Hicks, Tucker County; Cali Brown, Van; Ava Shaffer, Tucker County; Darren Loughridge, Webster County; Bryleigh Thomas, James Monroe; Savannah Doshen, Clay Battelle; Phoebe Dudgeon, View of the Mountain; Aubrey Thomas, Cameron; Desiree Keene, Tolsia; Lilly Perkins, River View; Carlee Sweeney, Paden City; Ava Satterfield, Ritchie County
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