BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — Tug Valley High School turned in another successful softball season this spring as reflected in the Class A All-State selections.
Freshman shortstop/pitcher Bailee Hall was a First-Team All-State pick, while junior third baseman Amelya Wellman was an Honorable Mention selection.
Hall, the younger sister to former All-State softball player Autumn Hall who is playing at West Virginia State University, made a big splash in her first season of varsity ball.
Hall hit a team-best .525 with a team-high eight home runs, 21 RBIs, four doubles, six triples and 53 total base hits.
She was also the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation behind senior ace Kinna Justice, sporting a 7-2 record and 2.87 ERA. Hall allowed just 15 earned runs and 29 hits in a 36 2/3 inning worksheet, striking out 50 batters and walking 13.
Wellman also had a breakout season as she hit an even .500 with 26 RBIs, a team-best 13 doubles, one triple and 47 hits for the season.
The duo helped lead Tug Valley to a 17-13 season this year and a 3-2 showing in the Class A Region 4 Section 1 tournament.
Meanwhile, three Tug Valley High School baseball players earned spots on the Class A All-State Team Honorable Mention list.
Junior catcher and leadoff man Julian Vance, junior pitcher/shortstop Conner Lackey and junior outfielder Dakota Ooten were all named Honorable Mention All-State.
Vance led the Panthers this season with a .333 batting average with 12 RBIs, six doubles, a triple and a team-leading 27 base hits.
Lackey batted .272 this season with 13 RBIs, seven doubles and 22 hits and was the team’s ace pitcher. On the mound, Lackey faced many of Tug Valley’s top opponents this season and finished 2-4 with a 5.25 ERA. He fanned a team-best 60 batters and walked 16 in 45 1/3 innings of work while yielding 34 earned runs.
Ooten sported a .269 batting average with one home run and 14 RBIs, with three doubles, four triples and 21 hits. The homer was Tug’s lone round-tripper of the season.
Ooten also pitched and was 3-1 with a 4.12 ERA. He made 11 total appearances, striking out 45 batters and walking just 16 in 35 2/3 innings of work while giving up 21 earned runs.