Democrat names area’s top players

Published 12:00 am Sunday, June 10, 2001

It was another big season for the Adams County Christian softball team.

For the fifth year in a row ACCS Head Coach Bruce Pickle led the Lady Rebels into the MPSA 3A state championship game against Parklane. And this year, for the second time in those five meetings Pickle and and his Lady Rebels came away with the title.

For leading ACCS back to the promised land, Pickle and start outfielder Holli Hankins have been named the top winners on The Natchez Democrat All-Metro team.

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The is the second time each has won the award, with the duo previously getting the nod following the 1999 season.

Pickle said the keys for this year’s team was hitting throughout the lineup and the leadership of Hankins.

&uot;When we were on a roll, we had players hitting in every spot of the lineup,&uot; Pickle said. &uot;Holli has started for us for five years, and she has played in a lot of big games. She was the only senior we had returning, so her leadership was vital. She did and excellent job of keeping the younger players focused.&uot;

Hankins also led by example with a .575 batting average.

&uot;I have always played sports, but this season was special,&uot; Hankins said. &uot;Parklane had beaten us the past three seasons, so it was great beating them for the state title on their own field.&uot;

Joining Hankin on the first team is fellow Lady Rebels Alesia Brown and Riana Flynn.

Brown played catcher and batted .480 as a sophomore, while Flynn played short and third and batted .560.

Huntington finished as state runnerup in MPSA Class A slowpitch and placed three players on the first team. All three were on the Lady Hounds fast-pitch state championship team in the fall.

They were infielder Lauren Wagoner and outfielders Sylvia Moak and Lindsay Wagoner.

Lauren Wagoner, a sophomore, played short stoop and batted .642. Moak batted .527 and Lindsay Wagoner finished with a .567 average.

The Vidalia Lady Vikings made another trip to the Louisiana state playoffs in 2001 and placed three players on the All-Metro squad.

The Lady Viking play fast pitch in the spring, and senior pitcher Amanda Stricklin was a big reason for the team’s 20-6 record. She finished her career at Vidalia with 40 career wins and a 1.78 ERA. She also batted .313.

Also named to the team from Vidalia was outfielder Jenny Watson and infielder Heather Miller. Watson finished her sophomore season with a .352 batting average, while Miller batted .324.

Outfielder Ashley Kingsafer and infielder Ashley McCalip were the top players at Trinity. Kingsafer led Trinity with a .600 batting average, while McCalip batted .500 and was the Saints’ MVP.

The final member of the All-Metro team was Hope Lipsey of Monetrey. Lipsey, just a sophomore, was named the Louisiana District 3B Most Outstanding Player.