The high school sports season for Greater Lafayette concluded Wednesday at the IHSAA boys golf state finals.
With that, we’ll re-direct our Ivy Tech Journal & Courier Athlete of the Week polls for the remainder of summer until fall sports begin.
This week’s poll is for you to vote on the top Class A/2A softball player this season.
This is a fan vote. The Journal & Courier will release its small school all-area team and player of the year at a later date.
Vote as many times as you’d like. Voting runs until noon on Sunday, June 21, and the winner will be announced on Monday. The eight nominees are below.
Class 1A/2A softball player of the year fan vote
∎ Ella Barry, Southmont: The sophomore batted .357 with 10 home runs, leading the Mounties to 2A sectional and regional championships. Barry added 11 doubles and 35 runs batted in, while scoring 15 runs and was named first-team all-state. In the circle, Barry went 17-4 with a 0.86 earned run average and 237 strikeouts.
∎ Addi Gorbett, Rossville: The senior posted a team-leading .500 batting average. During her career, Gorbett helped the Hornets win three regional titles and a 2024 Class A state title. In her final season, Gorbett had 15 doubles, one triple and a home run, scoring 25 times and driving in 22 runs with 10 stolen bases to earn second-team all-state honors.
∎ Keera Grizzle, Clinton Prairie: The sophomore led Prairie with a .549 batting average and received second-team all-state honors. Grizzle hit 19 doubles and five homers and also stole seven bases while driving in 44 runs and scoring 38 more to lead the Gophers to a sectional title.
∎ Lauren Hardy, Covington: One of the more impressive freshman campaigns in the state resulted in Hardy being named first-team all-state following a season where she hit .527 with 15 doubles, five triples and four home runs. Hardy scored 48 runs and drove in 29 while going a perfect 34-for-34 on stolen bases attempts.
∎ Sami Leopard, Delphi: A first-team all-state honoree as a sophomore, Leopard led the Oracles with a .583 batting average that included 10 doubles and two triples. Leopard drove in 14 runs and scored 44 more while stealing 29 bases.
∎ Grace Luck, Tri-County: Luck capped her career with a team-best .600 batting average that included seven doubles, five triples and four home runs. The first-team all-state selection also was named an Indiana All-Star after scoring 50 runs and driving in 25 more to go with 38 stolen bases. In 13 appearances in the circle, Luck went 4-1 with a 0.95 earned run average with 60 strikeouts.
∎ Maddi Nevitt, Tri-County: The Northern Illinois recruit went 15-2 with a 1.19 earned run average over 105 2/3 innings. In that span, she struck out 221 while allowing just 35 walks and 47 hits. Nevitt was a first-team all-state and Indiana All-Star selection after adding a .521 batting average with five home runs, six triples and eight homers. Nevitt recorded 42 RBI and scored 33 runs and also stole six bases.
∎ Autumn Paschal, Rossville: The 2024 Class A state champion hit .457 with six doubles, a triple and a home run as a senior. She drove in 20 runs and scored 23 times while stealing seven bases.
∎ Abie Pearson, Delphi: The senior earned first-team all-state recognition after hitting .569 with four doubles, four triples and a home run. Pearson scored 25 runs and drove in an additional 21 while stealing five bases.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Vote for Ivy Tech Journal & Courier 1A, 2A softball player of the year
Reporting by Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier | USA TODAY Network
