Local players honored on all-state teams
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter West Greene's pitcher Madison Renner led the Pioneers to a PIAA Class A first-round playoff victory Monday over Clarion.
McKenna Lampe’s speed in center field allows West Greene softball coach Bill Simms to take chances defensively.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter West GreeneþÄôs Bailey Bennington watches her hit soar earning her a double in the first inning against Chartiers-Houston on Friday, June 3.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter West GreeneþÄôs Madison Lampe hit bypasses first base and lands safely on second when Chartiers-HoustonþÄôs Lauren Lober misses the catch to tag out Lampe.
After an historic run to the WPIAL championship and PIAA title game, the West Greene softball team figured to be well represented on the all-state softball teams.
That proved to be the case Wednesday when the Pennsylvania High School Softball Association released its honorees, as four Pioneers were named as Class A all-state selections.
Sophomore pitcher Madison Renner, the Observer-Reporter player of the year, and freshman outfielder McKenna Lampe both were named to the first team at their positions, respectively, while senior shortstop Bailey Bennington and freshman third baseman Madison Lampe earned second-team honors.
Renner had a 19-2 record with a 1.72 ERA and 118 strikeouts and was equally dangerous at the plate, hitting .565 with nine home runs from the No. 3 spot in the West Greene batting order.
McKenna Lampe, the Pioneers’ speedy centerfielder and leadoff batter, batted a team-best .618 with four homers, 54 runs scored and 24 stolen bases.
Twin sister Madison Lampe, the Pioneers’ No. 2 hitter, batted .473 with six home runs and 44 RBI while playing solid defense at third base.
Bennington, a California University recruit, hit .519 with seven home runs and 35 RBI from her cleanup spot in a power-packed West Greene lineup.
Joining the West Greene foursome on the Class A all-state list were a pair of local sophomore pitchers, Dana Vatakis of Monessen and Kaitlyn Dittrich of Chartiers-Houston.
Vatakis, a Robert Morris recruit, was one of the top strikeout pitchers in the state, registering 167 last season while leading the Greyhounds into the postseason for the second consecutive season. She went 13-3.
Dittrich had a 14-6 record for the Bucs, doing her best work in the postseason, when she led Chartiers-Houston to a surprising berth in the WPIAL championship game against West Greene.
Canon-McMillan’s Linda Rush, a senior shortstop and Drexel recruit, was voted to the first team in Class AAAA after batting .702 in 2016. She posted 41 RBI to push her career total to 131. She also finished with 36 career home runs, including 13 last season.
In Class AA, a pair of local pitchers received second-team honors as McGuffey’s Moriah McGuier and Burgettstown’s Katie Tarr, a pair of seniors, both were voted among the state’s best.
McGuier went 14-2 with 104 strikeouts for the Highlanders.
Tarr compiled a 14-6 record with 151 strikeouts.
In Class AAA, Belle Vernon pitcher Bailey Parshall, a sophomore and Penn State recruit, received honorable mention accolades after posting a 12-5 record with 213 strikeouts for the Leopards.