All-SVC baseball and softball teams announced
CHILLICOTHE — This past week the Scioto Valley Conference announced its selection for this season's All-League baseball and softball teams. They also recognized the players and coaches who rose above the rest to earn honors such as the league's Coach and Player of the Year.
BASEBALL
After both teams finished the season with a 13-1 SVC record, the Unioto Sherman Tanks and Zane Trace Pioneers both owned a share of the SVC title.
However, it was the Pioneers who walked away with individual awards.
Their coach, Ron Allen was named the league's Coach of the Year in his 22nd season leading the squad.
Their senior pitcher Ben Nichols was named the league's Player of the Year after batting a .489 with 36 RBIs, 37 runs scored, and a home run. He also struck out 67 batters in nine starts at the mound.*
"It’s a huge honor to be selected as the SVC’s Player of the Year," Nichols said. "I can’t thank my teammates, coaches, and family enough for supporting me and pushing me to be the player I am today. Go Pioneers!”
In addition to Nichols, the league's first team also included Micah Geise (Unioto), Peyton Weiss (Westfall), Trey Edler (Zane Trace), Cody Rawlings (Adena), Dax Estep (Paint Valley), Tra Swayne (Piketon), Landyn Patterson (Unioto), and Braylon Leach (Huntington).
Second-team selections were DJ Crocker (Huntington), Andrew Griffin (Unioto), Carter Glandon (Adena), Austen Ison (Zane Trace), Roger Woodruff (Piketon), Jarrett McWhorter (Southeastern), Ashton Nunemaker (Westfall), Trent Mettler (Paint Valley), and Jacob Lenox (Southeastern).
Players who were named as honorable mentions were Will Dratwa (Adena), David McGill (Adena), Dalton Black (Huntington), Allan Smith (Huntington), Connor Free (Paint Valley), Beau Blankenship (Paint Valley), Chase Carson (Piketon), Johnny Burton (Piketon), Derek Wheeler (Southeastern), Joey Pfeifer (Southeastern), Ashton Crace (Unioto), Ben Spetnagel (Unioto), Trent Walters (Westfall), Bryant Coker (Westfall), Blake Phillips (Zane Trace), and Rece Allen (Zane Trace).
SOFTBALL
The Unioto Lady Shermans won the league's title after finishing the season with a 12-2 league record.
With that performance, it was no surprise that the team walked away with both of the league's individual awards.
Rob Hull was named the league's Coach of the Year, while their sophomore outfielder Alexis Book was named the league's Player of the Leader.
Book served as the team's leadoff for much of the season where she had a .578 batting average, 41 RBIs, 47 runs scored, and four home runs.*
In addition to Book, the league's first team included Olivia Dumm (Westfall), Lexie Lockwood (Southeastern), Emma Garrison (Adena), Avery Miller (Unioto), Abbie Bickenheuser (Westfall), Greenlee Bossert (Adena), Erin Richendollar (Southeastern), and Lexi Scott (Zane Trace).
Second-team selections were Olivia Smith (Paint Valley), Hannah Hull (Unioto), Gracey McCullough (Zane Trace), Caelen Miner (Adena), Delana Landefeld (Westfall), Taylor Williams (Piketon), Abbie Marshall (Unioto), and Makayla Cook (Westfall).
Players who were named as honorable mentions were Kiera Williams (Adena), Emily Jones (Adena), Savannah Bushatz (Huntington), Allie Baker (Huntington), Abbi Stanforth (Paint Valley), Averi McFadden (Paint Valley), Zoey Fuchs (Piketon), Natalie Cooper (Piketon), Hannah Lougheed (Southeastern), Audrey Scott (Southeastern), Carissa Wheeler (Unioto), Megan Miller (Unioto), Sydney Fuller (Westfall), Gabbie Henry (Westfall), Brynn Wipert (Zane Trace), and Abby Guffey (Zane Trace).
*(Stats for Nichols and Book are as of May 18)*
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: All-SVC baseball and softball teams announced
