Softball 5 players to watch
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Carmichaels’ Kylie Sinn pitches against Seton LaSalle in the first round of the WPIAL Class 2A softball playoffs at Peters Township.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Chartiers-Houston’s Kaci Alderson dives to stop the ball against Frazier during the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals at Peters Township on Thursday, June 6, 2019.
1. Jade Renner, West Greene
The four-time WPIAL Class A champions will have somewhat of a new-look roster this season. There will be no Lampe twins – as opponents let out a gasp of relief – atop the batting order. Kaitlyn Rizor is also gone. That will put more of the responsibility on the senior pitcher. Renner was 20-5 last season in the circle, finishing with a 1.68 earned run average. She was able to pitch to contact with a phenomenal defense behind her. Will that still be the case this year? Renner also did it with the bat last season, hitting .506 with 37 RBI. She was a first-team all-state selection.
2. Marlaina Bozek, Trinity
The smooth-fielding shortstop and George Mason recruit will be important in
3. Lindsay Schmidt, Canon-McMillan
One of the most consistent hitters in the Big Macs’ lineup over the last three years, Schmidt has solidified her spot as one of the best third baseman in the WPIAL. A first-team all-state selection last season as a junior, the Gannon commit batted .529 with seven doubles and seven home runs. She scored 22 runs and drove in 26. In her first two seasons as Canon-McMillan, Schmidt hit .375 as a freshman and .367 as a sophomore. She has 14 home runs for her career and will be in the middle of the lineup for the Big Macs, who essentially return their entire lineup.
4. Kylie Sinn, Carmichaels
The Mikes lost six games last year but Sinn made sure they were competitive in mostly all of the 20 games they played. Five of the six losses for Carmichaels were twice against Frazier, two times to Chartiers-Houston and once to West Greene. Those teams combined to have a 60-14 record last year and several of their losses came to one another. Sinn, a second-team all-state selection, led the Mikes with a .492 batting average, 29 hits, 28 runs, five doubles, four triples and three home runs. She also had 16 RBI. In the circle, Sinn was 9-5 with a 1.97 ERA.
5. Kaci Alderson, Chartiers-Houston
Quite possibly the most feared hitters in the area, Alderson returns to the heart of the Bucs’ lineup for her senior season. She was pitched around a lot and walked 18 times last season yet still managed to hit .523 with seven doubles and 27 RBI. Alderson has a .567 career batting average and an on-base percentage of .648. She was a first-team all-state selection last year and the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association Player of the Year in Class 2A as a sophomore.