Although only a freshman, Kaitlyn Flowers, who was thrust into a role of being one of the Clippers’ only two pitchers this season, was voted on by her softball teammates as the team’s Most Valuable Player.
Flowers and her teammates were recognized at an awards banquet in the school commons last Sunday.
In the circle, Flowers won five games, struck out 82 batters and had a 4.657 ERA. On offense, she totaled 21 hits including four doubles and a home run. When not in the circle, she typically played shortstop.
Senior Cassandra Connor took home the Offensive Player of the Year award. Her 34 hits were the second most for the Clippers. Five of the were doubles and eight were homeruns. She batted .442, the best for the Clippers and led the team in both slugging percentage (.818) and on-base percentage (.500).
For her effort, Connor was named by Valley Conference coaches as a member of the All-Conference Second Team.
The Defensive MVP award went to senior Laci Hollerich. She typically played first base but moved around the infield. Her .970 fielding percentage was the second highest for the Clippers. She was also a member of the All-Valley Conference Second Team.
A powerhouse at the plate, Hollerich also had the third-most hits for the Clippers, 33, including eight doubles and two home runs.
Usually behind the plate, sometimes at shortstop, occasionally at first or third, always the top of the order, freshman Keira Schipper was named the Utility Player of the Year.
She threw out 11 runners attempting to steal, had the highest fielding percentage (.970), and had the most hits for the Clippers, 37, including eight doubles, a triple and three homers. She had the Clippers second highest batting average (.420), on-base percentage (.480) and slugging percentage (.636).
Schipper was named to the All-Conference First Team and was also a member of the All-Section Team.
The Rookie of the Year Award went to freshman Anna Lamont. On defense, she usually caught for her sister, Lilly Lamont, but she also played around the field. She had nine hits on the season, including a triple.
Head coach Mike Barten penciled in Lilly Lamont for the Coaches’ Award. The senior was typically in the circle but sometimes played first base. She struck out 57 and had a 4.533 ERA. On offense, she had 14 hits, including two triples and a grand slam homerun.
Lamont was an All-Conference Honorable Mention.
The Most-Improved award went to junior Lacey McCabe. With some highlight-reel catches, she gained a handle on her starting position in left field and committed just three errors. She also had seven hits.
Dropping down bunts when needed and totaling a dozen hits, senior Greta Hahn won the Clutch Player of the Year award. She led the team in base stealing with 21. On defense, Hahn alternated between second and shortstop.
Junior Ava Hahn was known for beating out singles and stealing bases as well as covering a lot of area in centerfield. For her effort, she earned the Hustle Award. All told, she had 17 hits, including a pair of doubles, and nine steals.
Junior Jocelyn Bartell earned the Best Teammate Award while freshman Taylor Wolf won the Spirit Award.
In a for-fun award, freshman Delaney Thompson, who played walkup songs and between-inning music over a loudspeaker, was named the DJ of the Year. But since an injury kept her in the dugout all season, the award also signified Thompson’s dedication to the program. She likely would have been the Clippers’ ace this year.
Besides the award winners, freshman Taylor McCabe earned a letter.
For a GPA of 3.5 or higher during the baseball season Connor, Flowers, Hollerich, Thompson, Ava Hahn, Schipper, Wolf, Bartell, the McCabe sisters and the Lamont sisters earned Academic All-Conference awards.
With a total of 15 home runs, the 2024 Clipper broke the team total homerun record. One came off the bat of Flowers. Lilly Lamont hit one for a grand slam. Schipper hit three, Hollerich hit two, and Connors hit a Clipper record eight en route to a career total of 16.
It was an amazing year for our hitters,” said assistant coach Sandi Hollerich, who presided over the ceremony in Barten’s absence. “The home runs were off the charts.”
Hollerich was recognized by her daughter Laci Hollerich for her 10 years of assistant coaching. As she wants to dedicate her time to watching her son play baseball, she will not coach softball next spring.
“I will miss you,” she said. “I wish you the best in everything.”
Above: Award winners were, from L-R, Kaitlyn Flowers (MVP), Cassandra Connor (Offensive Player of the Year, All-Conference Second Team, Home Run Record), Laci Hollerich (Defensive Player of the Year, All-Conference Second Team), Lilly Lamont (Coaches’ Award, All-Conference Honorable Mention), Anna Lamont (Rookie of the Year), Taylor Wolf (Spirit), Keira Schipper (All-Conference First Team, All-Section Team, Utility Player of the Year), Delaney Thompson (DJ), Ava Hahn (Hustle), Greta Hahn (Clutch Player of the Year), Lacey McCabe (MIP) and coach Sandi Hollerich (10-year coaching). Missing from the photo is Jocelyn Bartell (Best Teammate).
