2021 SUN Preps All-Area Athletes & Teams

2021 SUN Preps All Area Athletes

2021 SUN Preps All-Area Athletes & Teams

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Page 48 www.yoursun.com Indians, Tarpons lead All-Area softball team SUN PREPS ALL-AREA SOFTBALL TEAM First Team C - Faith Wharton (Charlotte sophomore) Wharton was a versatile player for the Tarpons. She was error-free on defense, tough to run on and a threat at the plate. The sophomore hit .325 with six runs, 16 RBIs, five doubles and three home runs while also helping a pair of freshmen pitchers adjust to the varsity level. 1B - Becka Mellor (Venice senior) Mellor played first base and was entrenched in the No. 3 spot in the order all season — hitting .485 with a team-high 49 hits, 28 runs and 38 RBIs in 29 games. Mellor also had some power in her game with 12 doubles, four triples and four home runs, along with a knack for saving low and wild throws at first. "We depend on that big hit all the time and we get it from Becka Mellor," Venice coach Steve Constantino said after the win over Lakewood Ranch. "If people aren't talking about her being one of the best players in our area, then I don't know who they're talking about. "She's one of the best, if not the best. That kid basically does her job every single night." 2B - Jordan O'Brien (Venice senior) The starting second baseman for the Indians, O'Brien often batted second in the order — hitting .386 with 29 runs, 29 RBIs, 11 doubles, one triple and four home runs across 29 games. O'Brien typically used a fake-bunt approach to draw infielders in before smashing hits over their heads. SS - Mickey Coslor (Port Charlotte sophomore) The area's leader in batting average (.500), Coslor's hitting and speed at the top of the lineup often rallied the Pirates. The sophomore shortstop finished with a team-high 16 runs and 27 hits along with nine RBIs, two doubles and two triples. Coslor was also tough to stop on the base paths, stealing 22 bases in 26 attempts. OF - Micaela Hartman (Venice junior) Hartman was one of the best two-way players in the area — playing in the outfield or as the team's designated player when she wasn't in the pitching circle. Often batting near the middle of the lineup, Hartman finished with a .400 batting average, 30 runs, 28 RBIs, four doubles and four home runs across 29 games while committing one error in the field. As the team's No. 2 pitcher she owned a 4-1 record, a 2.35 ERA and two saves over 50 2/3 innings pitched. OF - Cienna Nelson (North Port senior) A center fielder and catcher, Nelson not only contributed in the field, but was also the Bobcats' top hitter with a .480 batting average. OF - Amber Chumley (Charlotte freshman) The Tarpons' top hitter on the season, Chumley hit .398 with 24 runs, 35 hits, 16 RBIs, 10 doubles, three triples and nine stolen bases across 26 games. Chumley didn't commit an error all year and also saw some time in the pitcher's circle — going 3-2 with a 4.08 ERA over 24 innings. DH - Lexi Fitzgerald (Charlotte freshman) A freshman standout for Charlotte, Fitzgerald hit .365 with 18 runs, 25 RBIs, 10 doubles, a triple and two home runs. Hitting near the middle of the lineup, Fitzgerald often had clutch hits in big spots — like a walk-off RBI single in a late-season win over Lemon Bay. UTIL - Tatum McGrath (Venice senior) An experienced senior who has played all over the diamond for Venice, McGrath played left field this year and was a dangerous bat at the top of the lineup as the team's leadoff hitter. She found nearly any way to get on base — drawing a team-high 15 walks and a team-high four HBPs while hitting .341 with 30 runs, 18 RBIs, five doubles and three triples along with a team-high 14 stolen bases. Two-way player - Dylan Anthony (Charlotte senior) Anthony had a late start to the season after going to the state tourna- ment in basketball, but didn't take long to get up to speed. A third baseman and pitcher for Charlotte, Anthony hit .361 with 23 runs, 29 RBIs, nine doubles, a triple and a team-high six home runs. Anthony had a 3.90 ERA over 32 1/3 innings in the pitcher's circle and committed just one error in the field. P - Karsyn Rutherford (Venice junior) A workhorse ace for the Indians, Rutherford pitched an area-high 113 Area's two regional playoff contenders featured many talented players Player of the year 3B - Kayleigh Roper (Venice senior) It's hard to find flaws in Roper's game. She led her team in several hitting categories, including batting average (.489), runs (32), RBIs (44) and home runs (13) across 29 games. The team's starting third baseman, Roper was often the go-to player to nab would-be bunters with her quick and low arm angle. She showed up for her team when it mattered most, too, going 9-for-15 with two walks, six runs, 9 RBIs, a double and three home runs in the playoffs — recording multiple hits in every playoff game until the regional final. "If you ask Roper, do you want to bunt there? She would in a heartbeat," Constantino said after a playoff win over Riverdale. "She's chasing our school home run record. Roper would give up a chance at a home run to lay down a bunt if it meant a run for our team, I promise you that." ROPER By VINNIE PORTELL SPORTS WRITER A year after area softball teams saw their season – and hopes – cut short, players had the chance to make up for lost time. Several teams, like Venice, Charlotte, DeSoto County and North Port, finished the season with winning records and also won playoff games while Port Charlotte and Lemon Bay worked on developing their young teams. Each team had highlights along the way. Venice had several wins to remember, like a 3-2 win over No. 2 Lakewood Ranch. Charlotte had plenty of clutch hitting, but it would be hard to top two walk-off wins -- over Venice and Lemon Bay -- in back-to-back days. The DeSoto County offense had a few blowout wins, but three games of 20-plus runs is something that doesn't happen often. North Port pitcher Taylor Roche opened the season with a complete game shutout win over Venice and lived up to that start, setting the team's single-game strikeout record. Port Charlotte needed pitching depth after injuries this year and a freshman, Gia Greaves, stepped up to become the team's go-to pitcher -- winning a couple of games in the process. Lemon Bay was in several back-and-forth games, but none like its 35-24 comeback win over Mariner. At the end, the Indians and Tarpons were the only teams to advance past the district round of the playoffs. Charlotte was quickly eliminated in a 3-2 loss at Palmetto and Venice, which was the area's only district champion, beat Bloomingdale and Sarasota in the regional playoffs before getting elimi- nated in a loss to Mitchell. Becka Mellor and Kayleigh Roper, two senior co-captains and top hitters for Venice, are finalists for the Sun Preps Softball Player of the Year, along with Roche, North Port's ace pitcher. Steve Constantino, who led Venice to a 24-win season and deep into the playoffs, is the Sun Preps Softball Coach of the Year. SEE SOFTBALL, 49

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