By JAY W. BENNETT
WVSWA
CHARLESTON – It’s been a process for the St. Marys High School softball program of head coach Lacy Riggs.
For the first time in school history the Blue Devils not only won the Little Kanawha Conference title, but the program from Pleasants County finally emerged as Class A state champions for the first time ever.
A key cog to that success was junior left-handed pitcher Cali Masters, who was named captain of the all-state first team as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
“She’s a huge asset and she’s just mentally tough,” expressed coach Riggs, who knows trying to repeat next year will be a challenge after placing third at state in 2022 and taking second behind Wahama last spring.
“She was surrounded by, you could almost say, a college infield with what she had behind her. We really had an outstanding infield and our outfield was nothing to shake a stick at.”
Aside from hitting .408 with eight doubles, five triples, one homer and 29 runs-batted-in, Masters tossed two no-hitters against Wheeling Central in the regional series.
Masters finished with a 20-4 mound mark that featured a 0.33 earned run average. In 147 innings of work, she allowed 59 hits, 39 walks and struck out 266.
The Blue Devil was joined on the first team for a third consecutive season by Wheeling Central junior pitcher Josie Frizzell and Petersburg senior Sam Colaw, who helped the Vikings to a state runner-up finish.
Frizzell went 15-3 with a 0.95 ERA and 203 strikeouts. Colaw sported a 20-6 record with a 2.24 ERA and 173 punchouts in 166 frames. A utility selection, the Viking also carried a .439 average with 11 doubles, eight bombs and 32 RBIs.
Masters and Frizzell were joined on the first team at pitcher by Buffalo senior Kimmie Dillman and Doddridge County senior Makenna Curran. The Bulldog, whose team was ousted by Petersburg in the regional, finished 22-11 with 307 punchouts in 198 innings. Dillman finished with a 17-10 record, striking out 185 batters to go along with a .344 batting average and seven home runs at the plate.
The only four-time honoree on the first team was St. Marys infielder Zoey Winland. To go along with her .420 average, the Blue Devil stroked 16 doubles, five three-baggers, two round-trippers and drove in 39 while swiping 27 bags.
Two players were repeat selections on the top unit – Ravenswood junior Macy Casto and Tug Valley sophomore Bailee Hall.
The utility Hall batted .547 with 18 doubles, a triple, four homers, 30 RBIs and 40 steals. Inside the circle, she finished 17-7 with a 2.98 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 131 2-3 innings.
Casto, who nabbed an infield spot but watched her team fall to Buffalo in the regional, was the Red Devils’ top pitcher and recorded 277 strikeouts in 151 1-3 innings. At the dish, Casto hit .471 with eight doubles, nine home runs and 32 runs-batted-in.
St. Marys also landed Ella Bullman on the first team in the outfield. The junior center fielder, who had no errors and a trio of assists, stole 10 bases, hit .349, drove in 21 runs and added four doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs.
“We didn’t always start as hard and fast as we needed to, but at the end of the game I can’t think of one time this season that they gave up,” coach Riggs added of her trio of first team all-staters and the rest of her squad, which produced a school record 31 wins against a quartet of setbacks.
“Several times during the season we were tied and we’d come back and win the game. They just didn’t give up. The state championship could not have gone to a more deserving group of kids in my eyes. Of course, I’m biased, but they really are a great group of kids.”
Joining Bullman in the first team outfield were Tug Valley senior Haleigh Muncy (.481 AVG, 12-1-5, 44 RBIs, 14 SBs) and Trinity freshman Peyton Moore (.565 AVG, 16-1-8, 38 RBIs, 28 SBs).
Two seniors landed the top nods at catcher in Ritchie County’s Jayci Gray (.420 AVG, 13-2-1, 37 RBIs, 38 SBs) and Sherman’s Lauren Guthrie (.596 AVG, 8-1-8, 32 RBIs, 10 SBs).
Casto was joined on the first team infield by Buffalo junior Kiera Cochran (.378 AVG, 8 HRs), Petersburg freshman Miley Tingler (.407 AVG, 7-6-7, 31 RBIs, 9 SBs) and Wahama sophomore Fiona VanMatre (.516 AVG, 11-0-1, 21 RBIs, 9 SBs).
The other two utility selections were filled by Pendleton County junior Baylee Beachler and Midland Trail freshman Madison Rader. MTHS, which reached the state tournament for the third time in four years, watched Rader go 15-6 with a 2.40 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 131 innings. She also batted .500 with six doubles, one triple, 21 RBIs and five steals. Beachler was 10-3 with a 0.89 ERA and 123 punchouts in 78 1-3 innings. She also had a .438 average with 10 doubles, four three-baggers, nine home runs, 45 runs-batted-in and 10 stolen bases.
Wahama junior outfielder Payton Staats (.389 AVG, 5-3-1, 18 RBIs, 10 SBs) was honored as captain of the second team.
Sherman junior Summer Harvey and Charleston Catholic sophomore Hannah Vriendt joined her in the outfield.
Moorefield senior Amber Williams, Greenbrier West sophomore Brilee Redden and Ritchie County freshman Rocklyn Marcum were the second team pitchers, while Ravenswood senior Emily Wratchford and Petersburg sophomore Ella Chew were the catchers.
Second team infield honors were shared by a trio of seniors in St. Marys’ Breanna Price, Magnolia’s Haidyn Bland and Williamstown’s Ava Johnson along with Midland Trial sophomore Nevaeh Hall and two freshmen in Ravenswood’s Anna Casto and Sherman’s Lexi Lowe.
The quartet of second team utility spots were occupied by Magnolia junior Mallory McDiffitt, Doddridge County sophomore Riley Myers, Trinity freshman Paige Hopkins and Buffalo freshman Morgan Cobb.
All-State honorees can obtain state-shaped, wood plaques with name, school, year and honor at wvswa.org or bearwoodcompany.com.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com
Class A
1st team
P – Cali Masters, St. Marys (Jr.) (CAPTAIN)
P – Kimmie Dillman, Buffalo (Sr.)
P – MaKenna Curran, Doddridge County (Sr.)
P – Josie Frizzell, Wheeling Central (Junior)
IF – Zoey Winland, St. Marys (Sr.)
IF – Kiera Cochran, Buffalo (Jr.)
IF – Macy Casto, Ravenswood (Jr.)
IF – Miley Tingler, Petersburg, (Fr.)
IF – Fiona VanMatre, Wahama (Soph)
OF – Ella Bullman, St. Marys (Jr.)
OF – Haleigh Muncy, Tug Valley (Sr.)
OF – Peyton Moore, Trinity (Fr.)
C – Jayci Gray, Ritchie County (Sr.)
C – Lauren Guthrie, Sherman (Sr.)
UTL – Sam Colaw, Petersburg (Sr.)
UTL – Madison Rader, Midland Trail (Fr)
UTL – Baylee Beachler, Pendleton (Jr.)
UTL – Bailee Hall, Tug Valley (Soph.)
Class AAA
2nd team
P – Brilee Redden, Greenbrier West (Soph).
P – Rocklyn Marcum, Ritchie County (Fr.)
P – Amber Williams, Moorefield (Sr.)
IF – Lexi Lowe, Sherman (Fr)
IF – Anna Casto, Ravenswood (Fr)
IF – Haidyn Bland, Magnolia (Sr.)
IF – Breanna Price, St Marys (Sr.)
IF – Ava Johnson, Williamstown (Sr.)
IF – Nevaeh Hall, Midland Trail (Soph.)
OF – Payton Staats, Wahama (Jr.) (CAPTAIN)
OF – Summer Harvey, Sherman (Jr.)
OF – Hannah Vriendt, Charleston Catholic (Soph.)
C – Ella Chew, Petersburg (Soph.)
C – Emily Wratchford, Ravenswood (Sr.)
UTL – Riley Myers, Doddridge County (Soph.)
UTL – Mallory McDiffitt, Magnolia (Jr.)
UTL – Paige Hopkins, Trinity (Fr.)
UTL – Morgan Cobb, Buffalo (Fr.)
Honorable Mention
Olivia See, Doddridge County; Layla Smith, Gilmer County; Stevie Starsick, Gilmer County; Jesse Anderson, Magnolia; Layne Kincaid, St. Marys; Alexis Livingston, Tyler Consolidated; Kiersten Kirby, Williamstown; Hadley Ross, Doddridge County; Elissa Hoffman, Wahama; Amelya Wellman, Tug Valley; Avery Townsend, Pendleton County; Shanna Cabell, Van; Breigh Martin, Buffalo; Maddie Morris, Charleston Catholic; Maddie Strosnider, East Hardy; Preslee Treadway, Greenbrier West; Hannah Benson, Midland Trail; Brook Edge, Wheeling Central; Aubrey McCoy, Charleston Catholic; Ella Wingett, Madonna; Tori Sizemore, Montcalm; McKenna Crites, Moorefield; Bella Rine, Wheeling Central; Addison Armentrout, East Hardy; Maddie Fields, Greenbrier West; Jacklynn Barnett, Man; Addie Hicks, Tucker County; Cali Brown, Van; Ava Shaffer, Tucker County; Darren Loughridge, Webster County; Bryleigh Thomas, James Monroe; Savannah Doshen, Clay Battelle; Phoebe Dudgeon, Mount View; Aubrey Thomas, Cameron; Desiree Keene, Tolsia; Lilly Perkins, River View; Carlee Sweeney, Paden City; Ava Satterfield, Ritchie County
