Ritchie’s DeLancey, Sissonville’s Haynes lead AA softball all-state

By Jay W. Bennett
The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, West Virginia Sports Writers Association

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — A pair of stalwarts on the diamond for four years, Ritchie County’s Kenna DeLancey and Sissonville’s Alexee Haynes, were honored as co-captains of the 2016 Class AA first-team all-state softball squad by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

For the Rebels’ DeLancey and the Indians’ Haynes, it was the fourth time each made the first unit of the all-state team. DeLancey was also named captain in 2013 and 2015.

The 18 members of the first team included a trio from state champion Chapmanville and head coach Ronnie Ooten, who landed senior catcher Savannah Wiley, sophomore pitcher Kenzie McCann and 12th-grade infielder Shian Meeks.

“Coaching those two seniors has been fantastic. They’ve got great work ethic and they’re just workers and it shows in their success,” Ooten said. “I just hope she (McCann) keeps it up for two more years.

“She’s got a pretty good work ethic too. We’ve been blessed to have good talent. I’m just tickled to death to be able to coach these type of kids.”

McCann, who also hit .453 with 45 steals and 24 runs-batted-in, went 29-6 on the bump with a 1.08 earned run average and had 248 strikeouts. Shortstop Meeks blasted 12 round-trippers, had 17 doubles, four three-baggers and knocked in 60 in hitting .436 and also swiped 16 bases.

Wiley also flexed her power for the Tigers and finished with a .391 average, 16 doubles, seven home runs, 44 runs-batted-in and posted a .648 on-base percentage.

DeLancey, the two-time Little Kanawha Conference Player of the Year, did plenty with the stick, but joined McCann, Wyoming East freshman Holly Brehm and Sissonville sophomore Kendal Parkins as the first-team pitchers.

The Rebel senior, who hit .596 with eight doubles, three triples, five homers and 20 RBIs to go along with 11 steals, finished 19-6 in the circle with a 1.19 ERA and 261 strikeouts across 149 innings.

Parkins was a 17-game winner and in 120 2-3 innings of work had a 2.26 ERA with 138 punchouts. She also hit .381 with three homers and 34 RBIs while adding 15 doubles and a half-dozen stolen bases. Brehm, one of two ninth-graders on the first team, posted a 1.30 ERA and whiffed 179 in 97 innings to go along with a .418 average and three homers.

Haynes, the Kanawha Valley Player of the Year, not only was joined on the first team by Parkins, but also fellow teammate Karli Pinkerton. Haynes pitched to an 8-2 mound mark with a 0.94 ERA with 73 strikeouts in 63 2-3 innings.

At the plate, she mashed the ball for a .612 average and collected 18 doubles, six triples, seven bombs, 11 steals and drove in 55. Senior infielder Pinkerton had 20 doubles, a trio of triples, one tater, a baker’s dozen steals and 23 RBIs while hitting .535.

Joining Haynes as utility selections were sophomore Big 10 Player of the Year Logan Shanholtz of Liberty (Harrison), Petersburg senior Cassidy Hedrick and Roane County sophomore Olivia Mace. Shanholtz, who had seven doubles, 10 steals and 29 runs-batted-in, led the Mountaineers with a 14-2 record and had 94 strikeouts with a 2.52 ERA.

Hedrick helped lead the Vikings to a third-place finish at the state tournament. In 105 1-3 innings, she went 16-4 and posted a 2.59 ERA and had 86 strikeouts. Hedrick hit .500 with three homers, 18 doubles, 11 steals and 49 RBIs. Mace went 10-5 for the Raiders with 92 punchouts in 84 innings and a 3.00 ERA. She also hit .516 with eight doubles, 19 RBIs and scored 42 runs.

Petersburg also landed senior outfielder Halie Swick, who hit .474 with 41 runs, three triples, nine RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

State runner-up James Monroe was represented on the first team by infielder Bailee Jackson. The senior had five doubles, four triples, 16 steals and 19 RBIs and hit 488.

The other two outfield selections went to North Marion senior Shasta Pyles (.500 AVG, 11 2Bs, 22 RBIs) and Berkeley Springs junior Shyann Farris (.571 AVG, 28 RBIs).

Poca junior Casey Skeens (.539 AVG, 48 runs, 34 steals) and Bridgeport’s Emily Riggs (.565 AVG, 7 HRs, 50 RBIs, 15 steals) rounded out the first-team infielders. Riggs was the Big 10 Freshman of the Year.

Joining Wiley as the other backstop was Independence’s Katy Lilly. In her final campaign for the Patriots, she batted .449 with 11 doubles, three bombs and 32 runs-batted-in.

Petersburg junior Callie Wisnewski was the second-team captain.





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