Olympia High School softball coach Tricia Gale will be in a familiar setting and be surrounded by familiar faces in the 20th Pantagraph All-Star Softball Game.
Gale was Tricia Gaither in 2002 when, as an Olympia senior, she went 3 for 3 in a 3-0 Area loss. This year, she is the Area head coach and will be joined by Spartan seniors Emma Ross, Klair Hartzold and Taylor Spencer in the June 10 game at Champion Fields in Normal.
Intercity coach April Schermann of Normal West will guide a team headed by four players each from Big 12 Conference co-champions Normal West and Normal Community.
Teams were selected by the Pantagraph sports staff and the head coaches have the option of adding up to two players. The game is for seniors only and players must provide their own uniforms and equipment.
Joining Ross and Spencer as outfielders will be Fisher’s Kalli Gosser, Clinton’s Morgan Hickman and Shannon Steffen of LeRoy.
Hartzold heads an Area infield that also includes Brooke Bachtold of Prairie Central, Kali Sanders of Class 2A state finalist Tremont, Jenna Souhrada of El Paso-Gridley, Tri-Point’s Kenzie Krause and Dwight’s Jamie Stanton.
The Area has three quality catchers in Tremont’s Briley Spencer, Eureka’s Lexi Litwiller and Erin Rankin of Hartsburg-Emden.
The pitching staff boasts Alie Tarrant of Class 3A sectional qualifier Mahomet-Seymour.
She will be joined by Bailey Walker of Clinton, Stef Sanidas of Tri-Valley and four-time all-Tri-County Conference pick Miranda Grandy of Lowpoint-Washburn-Roanoke Benson.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw’s Emily Cornwell was selected as a utility player.
Intercity
Schermann has four college-bound players from her own Class 4A sectional champion Wildcats.
Outfielder Annie Heineman is headed to Illinois State, catcher Ashlynne Paul to Eastern Illinois, pitcher/infielder Rebecca Rupard to Texas-El Paso and first baseman Megan Holderby to Division II Wisconsin-Parkside.
They will join forces with longtime rivals Kaitlyn Crossen (infield), Ali Wiegand (infield), Tara Lopez (pitcher) and Tarynn Dodd (outfielder/pitcher) of Normal Community.
Bloomington’s Molly Lawrence was chosen as an infielder, while Central Catholic will be represented by pitcher Megan O’Donnell and outfielders Sarah Gibbens and Taylor Tow.
University High did not have any seniors on its roster.
20th Pantagraph All-Star Softball Game
When: 6:15 p.m. June 10
Pregame ceremonies: 6 p.m.
Where: Champion Fields, Normal
Head coaches: Intercity — April Schermann (Normal Community); Area — Tricia Gale (Olympia)
