O-R Athlete of the Week: Paige McAvoy, Chartiers-Houston
Name: Paige McAvoy
School: Chartiers-Houston
Sport: Softball
Class: Senior
McAvoy’s week: The right-handed shortstop played her best when the team needed it the most.
Against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart last week, McAvoy went 4-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs in the Bucs’ 14-5 victory in a Class 2A Section 1 game.
Two days later, McAvoy hit a two-run home run, and had three RBI, in an 11-1 victory over rival Burgettstown, keeping the Bucs unbeaten in the section.
“I love those types of games,” said McAvoy. “I like doing it with my team. I know they have my back. They get me excited for them and cheering for them”
In her last two games, McAvoy had an unusual statistic. She went hitless in both games, a 15-0, three-inning win against Monessen and a 16-0 victory over Fort Cherry, but she had a combined five runs.
Chartiers-Houston has scored in double figures for the last six games, heading into the Charleroi game last night. The Bucs have outscored opponents by a combined 104-6 in that period.
“We’re just like a family,” McAvoy said. “Having that makes it so much nicer to do something like that.”
Hit parade: McAvoy hits cleanup, fourth, in the batting order. She has a .571 average, third best on the team. Bella Hess leads the team with a .667 batting average and Nicolette Kloes is second at .621.
McAvoy is second on the team with three home runs – Ella Richey has four – and leads the Bucs with four triples and is second with 21 RBI.
“This is one of the better hitting teams we’ve had,” said Chartiers-Houston softball coach Tricia Alderson. “We’re seeing a different kind of pitching than the other (good-hitting teams at C-H) so it’s hard to compare. It definitely ranks up there as one of the best hitting teams we’ve ever had.”
The COVID season (2020) cost this team some much-needed experience, Alderson said.
“The seniors now were sophomores back then,” she said. “Last year was a big year to get them out there and get them some experience. We were hoping things would come together this year, and they have. … We have a lot of work to do but we’re happy with the progress we’ve made so far.”
Compiled by Joe Tuscano
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