St. Marys had a magical run to the PIAA Class 4A softball quarterfinals this spring, and the awards continued to roll in for the Lady Dutch on Friday.
Pitcher Avery Eckels and shortstop Guliana Muccio from St. Marys both earned second team all-state selections from the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association in Class 4A.
The duo were two of five local players to earn all-state honors. Two of those selections came in Class 1A — Elk County Catholic shortstop Lucy Klawuhn and pitcher Emily Mourer, while Johnsonburg’s Natalie Dunworth was named a second team shortstop in Class 2A.
St. Marys won the District 9 Class 4A title, followed by a subregional win over Bellefonte and a 2-0 PIA first round win over Hampton before falling to Archbishop Wood in extra innings in the PIAA quarterfinals.
Eckels went 17-3 on the season with a 1.36 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. In 123 ⅓ innings pitched, she struck out 127 and walked 17. She didn’t issue a single walk in any of St. Marys’ four postseason games.
Muccio hit .455 with a 1.243 OPS. She hit five doubles, one home run, drove in 11 runs and scored 22 runs.
Mourer had a strong season both in the circle and at the plate. Offensively, she hit .467 with six doubles, six home runs and drove in 24.
Klawuhn, meanwhile, hit a robust .535 with nine doubles, two triples six home runs, 27 RBIs and 30 runs scored.
Rylee Kulbatsky of state champion DuBois Central Catholic was named the Class 1A Pitcher of the Year. Kulbatsky went 19-2 with a 0.61 ERA and 0.59 WHIP. She struck out 255 batters and walked just 24 in 126 innings pitched.
Other District 9 players to earn all-state honors were DuBois Central Catholic’s Kayley Risser (shortstop, first team), Jessy Frank (catcher, second team), Lauren Davidson (seconde baseman, second team and Melia Mitskavich (third baseman), second team) in Class 1A, as well as Redbank Valley’s Quinn White (shortstop, second team).
In Class 2A, Curwensville’s Addison Siple (pitcher) was named to the second team. .
In Class 4A, Clearfield’s Ruby Singleton (outfielder) was named to the first team.
