All-Observer Girls Softball: Christian’s Hinde, West Stanly’s Huneycutt, Smith take honors

Charlotte Christian freshman Anna Hinde, West Stanly junior Lily Huneycutt and West Stanly’s Emily Smith are the 2022 All-Observer softball player, pitcher and coach of the year.

▪ Hinde, a freshman, is softball player of the year after batting .606 with 13 home runs, 11 doubles and 41 RBI while leading Charlotte Christian to the NCISAA 4A state championship.

Hinde, an all-state pick and CISAA conference player of the year, led her team in all the major offensive categories.

Hinde is already one of the top-ranked prospects in the country in her class (2025), while also excelling in the classroom where she boasts a 4.5 grade-point average.

▪ Huneycutt, a junior, is the pitcher of the year after going 27-3 on the mound for the Colts.

Huneycutt, a Wingate University commit, had 251 strikeouts with a 1.51 ERA, allowing opposing batters a .171 batting average to earn Rocky River conference pitcher of the year honors.

Huneycutt was the most valuable player of the 2A state championship series.

▪ Smith, the softball coach of the year, had an impressive rookie season, guiding the Colts (29-4) to their third straight state championship and fifth in school history. West Stanly also won in 1997 and 2013.

All Charlotte Observer Softball Teams

FIRST TEAM

Pitchers

Faith Carrigan, Alexander Central, Sr.: The Lenoir Rhyne University commit and Northwestern 3A/4A player of the year was 22-3 on the mound with 233 strikeouts and 1.51 ERA. She hit .488 with eight home runs and 39 RBI.

Leah Correll, East Lincoln, Jr.: The Mustangs’ junior was 23-0 on the mound, including two no-hitters, one perfect game and she had 11 shutouts to go with 213 strikeouts.

Ali Glover, South Stanly, Sr.: The Bluefield University commit went 23-2 on the mound with a no-hitter, 202 strikeouts and earned the 1A state championship series most valuable player award.

Wynne Gore, Charlotte Christian, Sr.: The N.C. State commit was an All-American and all-state pick. She was 20-2 on the mound with two no-hitters to go with 170 strikeouts and 1.06 ERA. She also hit .507 with five home runs, 10 doubles and 33 RBI for the state champions.

Lily Huneycutt, West Stanly, Jr.: The Wingate University commit was Rocky River conference pitcher of the year. She went 27-3 on the mound with 251 strikeouts and a 1.51 ERA; earned MVP of 2A state championship series.

Brantleigh Parrott, Central Cabarrus, Sr.: The Lander University commit was 10-1 on the mound with 222 strikeouts, and 1.01 ERA, while batting .434 with three home runs, 10 doubles and 27 RBI.

Jillian Thomas, Piedmont, Sr.: The Wingate University commit, a two-time Southern Carolinas conference pitcher of the year, went 15-5 on the mound with 161 strikeouts and 1.51 ERA, while also batting .413 at the plate.

Infielders

Taylor Barlow, South Mecklenburg, Jr.: The Charlotte 49ers’ commit and SoMeck 4A conference player of the year hit .603 with eight home runs, 11 doubles, 46 RBI. As a pitcher, she was 10-0 with 117 strikeouts and a 0.97 ERA.

Grace Bechtol, Hickory Ridge, Jr.: The Radford University commit hit .548 with 11 doubles, five triples, three home runs and 21 RBI with 27 stolen bases.

Ellie Goins, Mooresville, Sr.: The N.C. State signee led Mooresville to a Greater 4A Metro conference regular-season title.

Anna Hinde, Charlotte Christian, Fr.: The Knights’ all-state performer hit .606 with 13 home runs, 11 doubles, 41 RBI and 37 runs scored.

Teagan Ritchie, West Stanly, Jr.: The Charlotte 49ers’ commit and Rocky River conference player of the year hit .430 with 18 home runs and 47 RBI.

Sidney Rose, Cannon School, Sr.: The St. Bonaventure commit, an all-state pick, hit .494 with seven triples, two home runs and 33 RBI, while striking out 42 batters in 42.2 innings on the mound.

Berkeley Whitten, Providence, Jr.: The Southwestern 4A conference player of the year hit .408 with a school record 16 home runs, while also contributing on the mound with 54 strikeouts.

Outfielders

Jenna Borkley, Hough, Sr.: The Presbyterian College commit hit .662 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles, six triples, 47 RBI. She also scored 48 runs and had 20 stolen bases.

Kaylin Garlick, Hickory Grove, Jr.: The Charlotte 49ers’ commit, an all-state pick, hit .500 with eight doubles, nine home runs and 31 RBI.

Maura Pendleton, Burns, Sr.: The Gardner-Webb University commit hit .495 with 41 runs scored and a school-record 42 stolen bases as the team’s leadoff hitter.

Mattie Poulos, South Stanly, Jr.: The Yadkin Valley 1A/2A conference player of the year hit .485 with 16 home runs, including two grand slams, 11 doubles and 60 RBI.

Taliyah Thomas, East Lincoln, Sr.: The USC Upstate commit hit .494 with eight double, six triples, 13 home runs and 42 RBI.

Katriel Williams, Marvin Ridge, Sr.: The North Carolina A&T commit hit .470 with six doubles, six triples, two home runs and a school-record 22 stolen bases this season.

Catchers

Betsy Eatmon, East Lincoln, Sr.: The UNC Greensboro commit hit .625 with 11 home runs, seven doubles and 45 RBI.

Skye Harrinton, Piedmont, Jr.: The Southern Carolinas conference player of the year hit .520 with 17 doubles and 35 RBIs.

Alexah Jefferson, Mallard Creek, Sr.: The Queen City Athletic Conference player of the year hit. 449 with seven doubles and 15 RBI.

Utility

Kadie Becker, South Caldwell, Sr.: The Charlotte 49ers’ commit was 15-4 on the mound with 158 strikeouts and a 1.22 ERA, while batting .431 with seven home runs, five doubles and 26 RBI.

Cameron Fisher, Hickory Grove, Jr.: The all-state, Metrolina Athletic conference player of the year hit .506 with 39 RBI, 25 runs scored, while striking out 72 batters with a 2.13 ERA on the mound.

Gracie Hollingsworth, Union Academy, Jr.: The University of Evansville commit was 18-6 on the mound with 263 strikeouts and a 1.63 ERA, while hitting .391 with nine home runs and 36 RBI.

Aidan Ledbetter, Crest, Fr.: The Chargers’ freshman hit .312 at the plate, while going 20-3 with 185 strikeouts and 1.16 ERA on the mound this season.

Designated Hitters

Kaylan Brown, Mountain Island Charter, Sr.: The Raptors’ senior hit .590 with four home runs, seven triples, 10 doubles and 26 RBI.

Camryn Martin, Anson County, Jr.: The University of North Carolina commit hit .437 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI this season.

Linda Moore, Lake Norman, Sr.: The Lander University commit, Greater Metro 4A conference player of the year contributes at the plate, hitting .569 with three home runs, six doubles and 28 RBI, and on the mound going 13-3 with 99 strikeouts.

Peyton Price, Alexander Central, Sr.: The Cougars’ senior had 49 hits this season with a .489 average and scored 26 runs.

SECOND TEAM

Pitchers

Savannah Campbell, Ardrey Kell, Jr.

Anna Dew, Hickory Ridge, Jr.

Taylor Houseton, Covenant Day, Sr.

Ava McCauley, Providence, Fr.

Anna Phifer, Marvin Ridge, Fr.

Sayge Strange, Burns, Jr.

Maddie Sturgill, Cannon School, So.

Infielders

Brie Biddle, Cannon School, Jr.

Lily Deaton, Providence, Jr.

Sydney Francois, Charlotte Christian, Fr.

Samantha Ladowski, Lake Norman, Sr.

Madden McMahan-Waters, Hough, So.

Mauri Murray, Marvin Ridge, Sr.

Kristen Smith, West Stanly, So.

Outfielders

Cady Ferguson, Hibriten, Jr.

Anna Partridge, Hough, Jr.

Megan Towery, North Gaston, Jr.

Emma Wrenn, Independence, Jr.

Catchers

Kirstyn Herman, Alexander Central, So.

Bailey Huss, West Lincoln, Sr.

Caroline McIntosh, Bandys, Sr.

Utility

Jaycee Bivins, Burns, Jr.

Anna Grace Clay, Metrolina Christian, So.

Lacie Coubal, Central Cabarrus, Sr.

Avery Elkins, Piedmont, Jr.

Designated Hitters

Katelyn Cozort, Draughn, Jr.

Riley Griffin, Union Academy, So.

Avery Tucker, Mount Pleasant, So.

Sara Rose Warlick, Crest, So.