The Warren softball team fell just short of its second District 10 Class AAA title in three seasons, but it takes some outstanding players just to make it a championship game - Warren's fourth in a row.
Two of those players - sophomore second baseman Kaitlin Ishman and sophomore pitcher Alexa Bupp - were named to the District 10 all-star team when selections were announced recently.
Ishman and Bupp were two of the hottest hitters in District 10 this season, finishing first in second in both homers and RBI. Ishman led D-10 in homers (9) and was second in RBI with 26, and Bupp led D-10 in RBI (27) and was second in HR with seven. Bupp's .435 average was the best on the team and Ishman's .377 was second. Ishman scored 25 runs in 20 games in the leadoff spot.
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Kaitlin Ishman
On the mound, Bupp was simply dominant. She compiled a 17-2 record, starting all but one game for Warren on the season. In 114 innings of work, she struck out 156 batters and compiled a miniscule ERA of 0.92.
Bupp and Ishman were also included among four Region 6 first-team all-star selections for the Dragons. Ishman was again named as a second baseman and Bupp as a pitcher. Bupp also swept the Region 6 postseason individual honors, winning both region player of the year and region pitcher of the year.
Joining Bupp and Ishman as region first-team all-stars were senior first baseman Rachel Hasselman and senior outfielder Kristin Hultquist. Hasselman hit .339 with three home runs and 12 RBI for the Dragons. Hultquist used an outstanding second half of the season to finish with a .270 average, one homer and 21 RBI.
Taylor Mineweaser, a junior, provided Warren with the team's lone second-team all-star selection, earning the nod at designated player. In the game mainly to bat, Mineweaser collected a .277 average and came up with several timely clutch hits for Warren, resulting in 11 RBI. She added four stolen bases.
Competing in the ultra competitive Region 4, the Youngsville and Eisenhower softball teams combined for just one region all-star in 2012. That all-star was Youngsville senior Amber Fox who was named as the second-team all-star at pitcher.
After spending her first three seasons as shortstop, Fox moved to pitcher for her senior season and quickly became a force at the position. She started all 20 games for the Eagles, winning 10 and losing 10 while striking out 151 batters in just 138 innings. Fox's ERA was a tidy 2.41.
Even more impressive were Fox's offensive numbers. The senior slugger finished with a .486 batting average, hammering four homers and driving home a county-best 34 RBI. She scored 22 runs and added seven doubles and seven triples for good measure.
Here are the District 10, Region 4 and Region 6 all-stars for the recently completed season:
District 10 Softball All-Stars
(position, name, school, year)
C- McKenzie Popatak, Sharpsville, 11
1B- Megan Bowser, Titusville, 10
2B- Kaitlin Ishman, Warren, 10
3B- Kaitlin Pasierb, Harbor Creek, 11
SS- Kayla Kupniewski, Fairview, 11
OF- Jolene Young, Fort LeBoeuf, 10
OF- Heather Reichenback, Harbor Creek, 12
OF- Shelby Proctor, Cochranton, 12
DP- Arianna Hanley, Saegertown, 11
U- Allania Banta, Fort LeBoeuf, 11
P- Raven Rozantz, Fairview, 11
P- Alexa Bupp, Warren, 10
District 10 player of the year: Raven Rozantz, Fairview
Region 4 Softball All-Stars
First Team
(position, name, school, year)
C- Tori Prather, North East, 11
1B- Hanna Tombaugh, Iroquois, 11
2B- Kayla Rizzo, North East, 12
3B- T.L. Wreh-Wilson, General McLane, 12
SS- Kayla Kupniewski, Fairview, 11
OF- Sarah Lindvay, Iroquois, 12
OF- Michalla Martin, Fairview, 12
OF- Cassidy Taylor, Northwestern, 11
DP- Meghan McChesney, Seneca, 10
P- Raven Rozantz, Fairview, 11
P- Rachel Miller, North East, 11
Second Team
C- Roni Lipinski, Fairview, 9
C- Katie Clark, General McLane, 11
1B- Annie Hecht, North East, 12
2B- Ashley Cabaday, Iroquois, 11
3B- Kaitlynn Babe, Seneca, 10
SS- Erica Suprynowicz, General McLane, 12
OF- Shelby Graml, Villa Maria, 11
OF- Jess Rupp, General McLane, 12
OF- Aubree Martin, Fairview, 10
DP- Holly O'Brien, Fairview, 12
P- Amber Fox, Youngsville, 12
P- Meghan Martin, Iroquois, 12
Region champion- Fairview
Region player of the year- Raven Rozantz, Fairview
Region pitcher of the year- Raven Rozantz, Fairview
Region 6 Softball All-Stars
First Team
(position, name, school, year)
C- Nikki Rzodkiewicz, Harbor Creek, 12
1B- Rachel Hasselman, Warren, 12
2B- Kaitlin Ishman, Warren, 10
3B- Kaitlin Pasierb, Harbor Creek, 11
SS- Allania Banta, Fort LeBoeuf, 11
OF- Kristin Hultquist, Warren, 12
OF- Heather Reichenback, Harbor Creek, 12
OF- Bri Mitchell, Fort LeBoeuf, 12
DP- Jolene Young, Fort LeBoeuf, 10
P- Cassie Pietkiewicz, Fort LeBoeuf, 12
P- Alexa Bupp, Warren, 10
Second Team
C- Stephanie Peck, Strong Vincent, 11
1B- Amanda Krolczyk, Fort LeBoeuf, 11
2B- Gabby Kennelley, Fort LeBoeuf, 12
3B- Jaimie Lunger, Central Tech, 12
SS- Ashley Samluk, McDowell, 12
OF- Chrissy Loader, McDowell, 12
OF- Taylor Munson, Strong Vincent, 11
OF- Abby Rose, Fort LeBoeuf, 10
DP- Taylor Mineweaser, Warren, 11
P- Mackenzie Hewett, McDowell, 11
P- Katie Rzodkiewicz, Harbor Creek, 11
Region co-champions: Warren and Fort LeBoeuf
Region player of the year: Alexa Bupp, Warren
Region pitcher of the year: Alexa Bupp, Warren