All-county softball team

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Ashley Prange, New Palestine

Year: Jr. Pos: SS

Prange finished the year with a state-record 21 home runs and 67 RBIs while also setting both single-season school marks. The Dragons’ career home run leader (29) scored a county-best 59 runs. She was named 2017 First Team All-American by Fastpitch News and a unanimous All-Hoosier Heritage Conference selection. The Ohio State recruit earned ICGSA First Team Class 3A/4A All-State honors.

Statistics: .552 BA, 59 runs, 67 RBI, 14 2B, 1 3B, 21 HR, 5 SB

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Emily O’Connor, New Palestine

Year: Soph. Pos.: 3B

O’Conner was a unanimous All-Hoosier Heritage Conference selection and finished the season as the county’s top hitter with a .558 batting average. The Eastern Michigan commit was second in the county with 59 RBIs and tied for second with 14 home runs. She led the county in doubles and was named ICGSA Second Team All-State in Class 3A/4A.

Statistics: .558 BA, 44 runs, 59 RBI, 17 2B, 1 3B, 14 HR, 3 SB

Morganne Denny, Greenfield-Central

Year: Sr. Pos.: 3B

Denny was a unanimous All-Hoosier Heritage Conference selection this year. The IPFW recruit drove in a career-best 43 RBIs and set the school’s single-season home run record (14), career home run record (35) and broke the mark for career hits (198). She was named ICGSA First Team All-State in Class 4A/3A and was an Indiana South All-Star.

Statistics: .495 BA, 44 runs, 43 RBI, 6 2B, 14 HR

Michaela Ballman, Greenfield-Central

Year: Sr. Pos.: P

Ballman pitched seven complete games and won a career-best 11 contests in 14 starts as the regional champion Cougars’ ace. She was second on the team with eight home runs and earned ICGSA Third Team All-State Class 3A/4A honors. She was a unanimous All-Hoosier Heritage Conference selection.

Statistics: .449 BA, 44 runs, 21 RBI, 8 2B, 8 HR, 3.29 ERA, 11-4, 32 K, 98.0 IP

Elisha Barker, New Palestine

Year: Sr. Pos.: P

The county’s top pitcher, Barker led the area in pitching wins and strikeouts. She was a unanimous All-Hoosier Heritage Conference selection and named ICGSA Second Team All-State in Class 3A/4A. The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University recruit was elected to the Indiana South All-Star team and earned the IHSAA’s 3A State Finals Mental Attitude Award.

Statistics: .446 BA, 11 runs, 37 RBI, 4 2B, 8 HR, 2.53 ERA, 22-2, 98 K, 135.1 IP

Samantha Kihega, Greenfield-Central

Year: Fr. Pos.: C

Kihega charged onto the scene with an impressive freshman campaign. She tied for the county lead in triples and was second on the team with 32 RBIs. Her 32 runs scored were fourth-best for the regional champion Cougars. She hit a team-best 13 doubles and was named All-Hoosier Heritage Conference.

Statistics: .430 BA, 32 runs, 32 RBI, 13 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR

Michaela Jones, New Palestine

Year: Fr. Pos.: C

Jones was named All-Hoosier Heritage Conference honorable mention after a productive rookie campaign. A potent bat in the HHC champion Dragons’ batting order, Jones was second in doubles and fourth in both home runs and runs scored on the team this season. She had a .993 fielding percentage.

Statistics: .406 BA, 35 runs, 26 RBI, 15 2B, 7 HR, 2 SB

Abby Davis, New Palestine

Year: Sr. Pos.: 2B

Davis was named a unanimous All-Hoosier Heritage Conference selection. The University of Dayton recruit was second in the county with 56 runs scored and finished fifth in RBIs. Her 14 doubles tied for third in the county and she routinely set the table for the Class 3A state champs with the county’s fifth-best batting average.

Statistics: .475 BA, 56 runs, 38 RBI, 14 2B, 1 HR, 1 SB

Brooke Walden, Eastern Hancock

Year: Sr. Pos.: 3B

A driving force behind Eastern Hancock’s run at back-to-back sectional titles, Walden posted the third-highest batting average in the county. Her eight home runs led the batting order, and she earned ICGSA Second Team All-State Class A/2A honors. Walden is an Anderson University recruit.

Statistics: .500 BA, 36 runs, 35 RBI, 13 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 2 SB

Kaysi Gilbert, Eastern Hancock

Year: Sr. Pos.: 2B

Gilbert had 10 multi-hit games this season and posted career-bests in six key statistical categories at the plate. She was third-best on the team with 26 RBIs, while tying for second overall with four home runs. Gilbert earned ICGSA Third Team All-State recognition in Class A/2A.

Statistics: .391 BA, 36 runs, 26 RBI, 12 2B, 4 HR, 2 2B

MaKenzie Gee, Mt. Vernon 

Year: Sr. Pos.: 3B

Gee was named a unanimous All-Hoosier Heritage Conference selection. The senior led the Marauders in hitting with a .450 batting average and tied for first with 20 runs scored. Her 26 RBIs were a career high and led the team this season. She also crushed a team-best nine doubles and four home runs.

Statistics: .450 BA, 20 runs, 26 RBI, 9 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 1 SB

Peyton West, Eastern Hancock

Year: Sr. Pos.: C/SS/UTL

West was a consistent contributor for the state-ranked Royals on both defense and at the plate. She hit .370 with 23 RBIs for fourth-best on the team. She also scored 29 runs for the sectional champion Royals. West is a Calumet College of St. Joseph recruit.

Statistics: .370 BA, 29 runs, 23 RBI, 9 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 4 SB

Mary Crumlin, New Palestine

Year: Sr. Pos.: 1B

One of the Class 3A state champion Dragons’ key senior leaders, Crumlin finisher her career as a four-year starter and an All-Hoosier Heritage Conference honorable mention. The Marian University recruit posted career highs in batting average, runs scored, RBIs, doubles and home runs.

Statistics: .406 BA, 26 runs, 38 RBI, 7 2B, 3 HR

Honorable Mention: Maria Kihega, Sara Morris, Makayla Durick, Sydney Williams (Greenfield-Central); MacKenzie McCann, Sydnee Perry, Kaitlyn Nugent, Jaden Fithian (Mt. Vernon); Emma Tucher, Madison Whitaker, Tatum Biddle, Tianna Hart, Mackenzie Jones, Kaylee Kropp (New Palestine); Micah Black, Elise Bittinger, Bree Ashby, Paige Wickard (Eastern Hancock).