VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: WAVERLY'S HAMMOND REPEATS AS SOFTBALL 'PLAYER OF YEAR' — ATHENS' ADAMS, REPSHER, TIOGA'S WESSELS, WAVERLY'S WENDELA ALSO HONORED (2019-06-15)
Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY "” Waverly senior Wendi Hammond had a historic season, leading the Lady Wolverines to their first-ever Section IV title, and earning the 2019
Valley Sports Report Softball "
Player of the Year" honors.
Athens senior Emma Adams is the "
Offensive Player of the Year," while Tioga sophomore Kindra Wessels is the "
Newcomer of the Year," Athens sophomore Emma Repsher is the "
Defensive Player of the Year," and Waverly's Brian Wendela is the "
Coach of the Year."
Hammond re-wrote the Waverly record books, both at the plate, and in the pitcher's circle.
A first-team all-state pitcher last year, Hammond put up incredible numbers in the circle for her senior season. She posted an 18-3 record with a 0.57 ERA and a school-record 259 strikeouts in 123 2/3 innings, while walking just 15 and allowing only 47 hits. Batters hit just .129 against her on the season. She tossed a school-record four no-hitters and was part of a combined no-hitter
Hammond hit .532 (33 hits in 62 ABs) with five doubles, two triples, a school-record 14 home runs, 37 RBI, a school-record 51 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases. She walked 23 times for an on-base percentage of .670, to go along with a 1.355 slugging percentage, and a staggering OPS of 2.025.
A speedy outfielder with a strong arm, Adams enjoyed a tremendous season at the plate. She hit .564 (31 hits in 55 ABs) with eight doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 13 RBI, 24 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. She walked 10 times for a .642 on-base percentage, to go along with a 1.127 slugging percentage, and an impressive 1.769 OPS.
Wessels was a driving force in the circle, and at the plate for Tioga. She was 13-6 with a 1.82 ERA, recording 148 strikeouts in 119 1/3 innings. She walked 32 and allowed 93 hits. Opponents hit .193 against her this season.
Wessels hit .508 (32 hits in 63 ABs) with 12 doubles, three triples, 20 RBI, 31 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. She waked 11 times for an on-base percentage of .587, had a slugging percentage of .794 and an OPS of 1.380.
Repsher had a stellar defensive season at first base, saving her fellow infielders from errors throughout the season. She recorded 99 defensive chances without an error.
In his third season at the helm, Wendela, whose Waverly teams lost to Susquehanna Valley in extra innings in the semifinals in each of the last two postseason, finally knocked off the Lady Sabers, this time in the Section IV, Class B championship game for the program's first-ever section title.
Wendela is 45-14 in his three seasons.
The 2019 "Softball Super 7" is:
Wendi Hammond, senior, Waverly: See above.
Emma Adams, senior, Athens: See above.
Megan Bennett, junior, Athens: Bennett was dominant in the circle this season, posting a 12-3 record with a 0.94 ERA. She struck out 157 and walked 18, while allowing 71 hits in 110 1/3 innings. Opponents hit .190 against her. She tossed eight shutouts, including one-no-hitter.
Bennett also helped herself at the plate. She hit .419 (26 hits in 62 ABs) with four doubles, one triple, 14 RBI, 10 RBI, and three steals.
Kindra Wessels, sophomore, Tioga: See above.
Harley Sullivan, sophomore, Athens: A top-notch defender with a strong arm, Sullivan had some serious pop in her bat this season. She hit .431 (25 hits in 58 ABs) with eight doubles, one triple, two home runs, 22 RBI, 25 runs scored, and one steal. Sullivan had an on-base percentage of .507, a slugging percentage of .706, and an OPS of 1.214.
Sullivan threw out six of 12 would-be base stealers on the season.
Riley Hall, junior, Waverly: A solid defensive catcher with a good arm, Hall hit .500 (35 hits in 70 ABs) with eight doubles, four home runs, 27 RBI, 25 runs scored, and four stolen bases. She waked nine times for an on-base percentage of .563, to go along with a .786 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.348.
Haley Barry, junior, Athens: A stellar defender at shortstop and third base, Barry hit .361 (22 hits in 61 ABs) with five doubles, one home run, 14 RBI, 12 runs scored, and one steal.
The 2019 All-Valley Softball team:
C - Harley Sullivan, sophomore, Athens: See above.
1B - Emma Repsher, sophomore, Athens: A great glove at first base, Repsher had a big year at the plate, hitting .458 with four doubles, 11 RBI, 16 runs scored, and one steal. Repsher had an on-base percentage of .529, a slugging percentage of .525, and an OPS of 1.054.
2B - Giovanna Rossi, junior, Tioga: A good defensive second baseman, Rossi hit .463 (25 hits in 54 ABs) with eight doubles, three triples, two home run, 32 RBI, 20 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. She walked seven times for an on-base percentage of .525. She had a slugging percentage of .833 and an OPS of 1.358.
SS - Haley Barry, junior, Athens: See above.
3B "” Julia Bellis, freshman, Tioga: A good glove at third base, Bellis hit .390 (23 hits in 59 ABs) with four doubles, 21 RBI, 15 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. She walked 12 times and had an on-base percentage of .507, with a slugging percentage of .458, and an OPS of .965.
IF - Olivia Ayres, sophomore, Tioga: A strong fielder at shortstop and a very good slap-hitter, Ayres hit .441 (30 hits in 68 ABs) on the season with one double, nine RBI, 21 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases.
OF - Emma Adams, senior, Athens: See above.
OF - Austyn Vance, freshman, Tioga: A strong-armed outfielder, Vance hit .339 (19 hits in 56 ABs) with three doubles, three triples, 16 RBI, 13 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases.
OF - Kari VanAllen, senior, Waverly: A good defender in center field, VanAllen hit .261 with two doubles, three triples, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. She had 11 walks and a .414 on-base percentage.
DH - Riley Hall, junior, Waverly: See above.
P - Wendi Hammond, senior, Waverly: See above.
P - Megan Bennett, junior, Athens: See above.
P - Kindra Wessels, sophomore, Tioga, See above
"Super 7 Newcomers of the Year"
Kindra Wessels, sophomore, Tioga: See above.
Olivia Ayres, sophomore, Tioga: See above.
Julia Bellis, freshman, Tioga: See above.
Austyn Vance, freshman, Tioga: See above.
Hailey McCaig, freshman, Sayre: A solid defender behind the plate, McCaig hit .349 (15 hits in 43 ABs) with one double, two triples, two RBI, six RBI, and seven steals.
Caydence Macik, freshman, Athens: Hampered by an injury late in the season, Macik hit .303 (10 hits in 33 ABs) with two doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, 10 runs scored, and one steal.
Madeleine Dutra, junior, Sayre: Dutra hit .407 (11 hits in 27 ABs) with one triple, six RBI, eight runs scored, and seven steals.
All-Valley Defensive Team
GOLD GLOVES1B "” Emma Repsher, sophomore, Athens
OF - Emma Adams, senior, Athens
SS - Olivia Ayres, sophomore, Tioga
SS "” Haley Barry, junior, Athens
C "” Riley Hall, junior, Waverly
P - Wendi Hammond, senior, Waverly
3B "” Hali Jenner, sophomore, Waverly
OF "” Sydney Meyers, senior, Waverly
C "” Harley Sullivan, sophomore, Athens
P - Kindra Wessels, sophomore, Tioga
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IN PHOTO: Waverly's Wendi Hammond.
"”"”"”"”"”"”
PAST WINNERS"Softball Player of the Year"2010 - Sarah Wayson, Tioga
2011 - Sarah Wayson, Tioga
2012 - Christin Dunkling, Athens
2013 "”Sam Mennig, Waverly
2014 - Sam Wood, Tioga
2015 - Sam Wood, Tioga
2016 - Sam Wood, Tioga
2017 - Shailei Kraft, Waverly
2018 - Wendi Hammond, Waverly
2019 - Wendi Hammond, Waverly
