By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
MONTGOMERY - Hartselle placed three players on the 2009 Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State Softball team after the Lady Tigers reached the state tournament for the second straight season.
Lady Tigers’ senior Audrey McClanahan and sophomores Ashley Bonner and Breanna Riley earned honorable mention honors in Class 5A in voting conducted by sports writers from around the state several weeks ago.
Priceville’s Danielle Richard, a sophomore, also earned all-state honorable mention honors in Class 4A.
Ider’s Hillary Phillips, the all-time Alabama High School Athletic Association’s leader in wins, strikeouts, shutouts and no-hitters was named Miss Softball, presented annually to the state’s top player.
Phillips was honored Sunday at the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Awards Banquet in Birmingham.
Phillips is the Class 2A MVP and Pitcher of the Year, and heads the ASWA’s Super All-State team, which features nine pitchers and one position player.
Other pitchers joining Phillips on the Super All-State team are Class 6A Sparkman’s Abby MacKay and Hueytown’s Leigha Streetman, Class 5A Spanish Fort’s Morgan Druhan and Mortimer Jordan’s Heather Parker, Class 4A Saks’ Cara Law, Class 3A West Morgan’s Lauren Seibert, Class 1A Speake’s Kylie Black and Cornerstone Christian’s Chesley Dunnaway from the AISA.
Class 3A Pisgah catcher Shelby Holley is the only non-pitcher in the group.
Riley went 19-6 with a save this season for Hartselle, who finished sixth in the state tournament after losses to Mortimer Jordan and Spanish Fort. The sophomore recorded 203 strikeouts and finished with a 1.19 ERA.
Bonner hit .338 and drove in 34 runs for the Lady Tigers this season. She finished with 45 hits, seven doubles, two triples and four home runs.
The Hartselle outfielder had an on-base percentage of .518 this season.
McClanahan, who will play at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville next season, finished with the season with 60 hits and 52 runs for the Lady Tigers. The Hartselle second baseman hit .349 with an on-base percentage of .481.
McClanahan ranked among the state’s leaders in Class 5A with 32 stolen bases.
Richard, a standout at shortstop for Priceville this season, hit .484 with 59 hits and 40 runs. She also drove in 24 runs for the Lady Bulldogs.
Just a sophomore, Richard had 17 doubles and five triples for Priceville.