Contributing Writer
Morgan Melloh just rolled her head back in disbelief.
How could
this year â??? one that ended in a perfect season and a state championship in
which she set the state record with 26 strikeouts and had the game-winning
double â??? get any better?
this year â??? one that ended in a perfect season and a state championship in
which she set the state record with 26 strikeouts and had the game-winning
double â??? get any better?
How about
winning Miss Softball at the 2007 Indiana All-Star Classic held June 23 at Ben
Davis.
winning Miss Softball at the 2007 Indiana All-Star Classic held June 23 at Ben
Davis.
The Royals
ace capped off her tremendous senior campaign with a solid performance at the Indiana
Coaches of Girls Sports Associationsâ?? all-star doubleheader and was named Miss
Softball in between the two games.
ace capped off her tremendous senior campaign with a solid performance at the Indiana
Coaches of Girls Sports Associationsâ?? all-star doubleheader and was named Miss
Softball in between the two games.
â??It feels
so great,â? Melloh said. â??A perfect end to a perfect season.
so great,â? Melloh said. â??A perfect end to a perfect season.
â??Iâ??m just
very humbled right now.â?
very humbled right now.â?
Melloh
drove in the first run of Game 1 in the first inning to give her South team the
lead. A groundout byPendleton
Heights â?? Becca Butler then
drove in Arabiansâ?? teammate Chelsea Held for a 2-0 lead.
drove in the first run of Game 1 in the first inning to give her South team the
lead. A groundout by
drove in Arabiansâ?? teammate Chelsea Held for a 2-0 lead.
That was
all that Melloh and her fellow South pitchers would need.
all that Melloh and her fellow South pitchers would need.
After
yielding a leadoff walk to Churubuscoâ??s Marissa Troyer, Melloh retired the next
nine batters in order to finish her three innings of work. She had four
strikeouts.
yielding a leadoff walk to Churubuscoâ??s Marissa Troyer, Melloh retired the next
nine batters in order to finish her three innings of work. She had four
strikeouts.
The next
pitcher to come in was Erika Taylor of Boonville, and she was just as effective
as Melloh.
pitcher to come in was Erika Taylor of Boonville, and she was just as effective
as Melloh.
the bases in the fourth with just one out. But Held, playing catcher instead of
her usual centerfield position, picked a runner off second base before
LaFree of Penn to end the threat.
in her next two innings.
Indianapolis
Scecinaâ??s Emily Wethington struck out the side in the seventh to cap the 2-0
shutout for the South.
Scecinaâ??s Emily Wethington struck out the side in the seventh to cap the 2-0
shutout for the South.
â??It was
nice to play well in a game with so many good players,â? Melloh said. â??We knew
it was going to be hard to get a win.â?
nice to play well in a game with so many good players,â? Melloh said. â??We knew
it was going to be hard to get a win.â?
An hour-long
rain delay pushed back the start of the second game, allowing the North to
regroup.
rain delay pushed back the start of the second game, allowing the North to
regroup.
The score
stood at 0-0 in the third inning before the North finally was able to score its
first runs of the day.
stood at 0-0 in the third inning before the North finally was able to score its
first runs of the day.
Emily
Butler of Benton Central walked, then moved to second on a wild pitch by Floyd
Centralâ??s April Ehlers before a single by LaFree made it 1-0. Heather Swarts
from Mississinewa then drove in LaFree.
Butler of Benton Central walked, then moved to second on a wild pitch by Floyd
Centralâ??s April Ehlers before a single by LaFree made it 1-0. Heather Swarts
from Mississinewa then drove in LaFree.
The South
scored once in the fourth inning on a single by Melloh, and the game was nearly
tied whenButler
lined a shot toward left field. But the line drive was snagged by the South third
baseman to end the threat.
scored once in the fourth inning on a single by Melloh, and the game was nearly
tied when
lined a shot toward left field. But the line drive was snagged by the South third
baseman to end the threat.
The North
got an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI double by Elkhart Memorialâ??s Tawny
Desimone off Kendra DeArk ofJeffersonville
to make the final margin 3-1.
got an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI double by Elkhart Memorialâ??s Tawny
Desimone off Kendra DeArk of
to make the final margin 3-1.
The North
got solid pitching in Game 2 fromButler ,
Ollmay Wilson (Cass), Dawn McClellan (Chesterton), and Danielle Campbell (South
Bend Riley). The foursome held the South to just the one run and three hits
while striking out 10.
got solid pitching in Game 2 from
Ollmay Wilson (Cass), Dawn McClellan (Chesterton), and Danielle Campbell (South
Bend Riley). The foursome held the South to just the one run and three hits
while striking out 10.
of the Classic by going 3 for 3 with a run scored in addition to her dominating
pitching performance.
â??It’s nice
to know I gave my best in my last high school event,â? the Boonville standout
said. â??It was such a relaxed environment, so it was really easy to play well.â?
to know I gave my best in my last high school event,â? the Boonville standout
said. â??It was such a relaxed environment, so it was really easy to play well.â?
But the
day still belonged to Melloh, the new Miss Softball.
day still belonged to Melloh, the new Miss Softball.
â??I still am
just really surprised,â? Melloh said. â??I truly didnâ??t expect it.â?
just really surprised,â? Melloh said. â??I truly didnâ??t expect it.â?
Coach Pete
Iussig ofLowell
was named the 2007 coach of the year.
Iussig of
was named the 2007 coach of the year.
Here are
your All-Star Classic rosters:
your All-Star Classic rosters:
North
Athlete
School
Coach
School
Coach
Hallie Gibbs Munster
Beth Vesa
Beth Vesa
Dawn McClellan Chesterton LouAnn Hopson
Kelly Johnson Lowell
Pete Iussig
Pete Iussig
Meagan Gutierrez Portage
Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith
Christina Caldwell Andrean
Frank Podkul
Frank Podkul
Ollmay Wilson Cass
Emily Hays
Emily Hays
Emily Butler Benton Central Gary Woods
LeAnn Collins New
Prairie Tim Scott
Prairie Tim Scott
Megan Paradzinski Munster
Beth Vesa
Beth Vesa
Molly Orzechowicz Griffith
Sarah Payne
Sarah Payne
Marissa Troyer Churubusco Keith Heffelfinger
Ava Hall
Garrett
Scott Bishop
Garrett
Scott Bishop
Karmen Delcamp Northridge Andrew Robinson
Katie Gapinski South Bend Adams John Woodruff
Kayci Meyer Bluffton
Rick Mettler
Rick Mettler
Tawny Desimone Elkhart Memorial Craig Sears
Sierra VanDeKeere Jimtown
Brent Kulp
Brent Kulp
Kristi Lafree Penn
John Corthier
John Corthier
Heather Swarts Mississinewa Steve Miller
Kaitlyn Dubois Kokomo
Lisa Tate
Lisa Tate
Danielle Campbell South Bend Riley Scott Campbell
Coaches: Pete
Iussig, Lowell; Bob Egyhazi,Mishawaka ; George
Grenert,Mishawaka
Marian
Iussig, Lowell; Bob Egyhazi,
Grenert,
Marian
South
Athlete
School
Coach
School
Coach
Morgan Melloh Hamilton SE Dave Cook
Emily Wethington Indianapolis Scecina Tom Moorman
Jamie Keltz Avon
Jenny
Shayotovich
Jenny
Shayotovich
Jessica Slayton Decatur Central Jason Wise
Amy Raker Zionsville Amy DePuy
Haley Oskins Roncalli
Gerard
Striby
Gerard
Striby
Melissa Daniels Martinsville Ken Rhoden
Chelsea Held Pendleton Heights Scott
Hall
Hall
Rebecca Butler Pendleton Heights Scott
Hall
Hall
Mallory Ortwein Anderson **** Hines
Alyssa Collins Mt. Vernon
(Fortville) Mike McGill
(Fortville) Mike McGill
Ty Smith
East
Central John Roth
East
Central John Roth
Ariana Khajenouri New Palestine Ed Marcum
Kelli Hahn Greensburg Mike Hahn
Erika Taylor Boonville Mike Wilson
Emerald Graham Castle
Pat Lockyear
Pat Lockyear
April Ehlers Floyd
Central JoeWitten
Central Joe
Brittany DeWeese Evansville Memorial Bob McFall
Kendra DeArk Jeffersonville Becky Shafer
Amanda Pravdica Castle
Pat Lockyear
Pat Lockyear
Kelci Alsip Evansville Central David George
Coaches: Kathy
Stricker, Franklin Central; Scott Hall,Pendleton Heights ;
Joe Witten, Floyd Central
Stricker, Franklin Central; Scott Hall,
Joe Witten, Floyd Central