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Meet the 2017 Star Tribune All-Metro first team

By Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune, 06/05/17, 5:45PM CDT

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See who made the second and third teams.

All-metro first team pitchers

          

MARYBETH OLSON, Metro Player of the Year

School: Chanhassen | Year: Senior

The Metro Player of the Year took on a bigger role as a pitcher this year, posting a 12-0 record with a 0.58 ERA. Defeated Prior Lake twice for the Class 4A, Section 2 title. Hit .547 with six home runs (two in the finals), 23 RBI, team-leading 41 base hits. Signed with Connecticut.

Click to read Jim Paulsen's feature on the Storm senior.

 


KAILEY AHLSTROM

School: Prior Lake | Year: Junior

Workhorse for the South Suburban Conference champs, the left-hander compiled a 17-4 record with 196 strikeouts and a 1.09 ERA. Three of her losses were to Class 4A state tournament teams. Threw seven shutouts. Verballed to Middle Tennessee State.

 


AMBER ELLIOTT

School: Anoka | Year: Senior

A remarkable hitter (.466 career batting average), but stands out most as a pitcher. Holds the Anoka single-game strikeout record (17), has more than 500 for her career. Went 3-0 in the Class 4A, Section 7 playoffs, giving her 46 career victories, 0.93 career ERA. Headed to Augustana.

 


ASHLEY MICKSCHL

School: Woodbury | Year: Senior

Two-time All-Metro selection. Split time as a pitcher, posting an 11-1 record with a 0.81 ERA. Remarkable control, walked just six batters all season. Has a devastating change-up as an out pitch. Hit .471 with five HRs, 28 RBI. Also headed to Augustana.

 

 


All-metro first team catchers

        

JESSICA BREN

School: Chanhassen | Year: Senior 

Always a threat at the plate with exceptional power, knack for picking up the big hit. Hitting .448 with six home runs, 22 RBI. Owns her school’s record for career home runs with 31. Three-time All-Metro selection. Will play at Minnesota-Duluth.

 


ABBY LIEN

School: Eastview | Year: Junior

Versatile enough to step out from behind the plate and fill in where needed. Hits with power (six home runs), smart and always puts the ball in play. Struck out just once, hit .431. Verballed to Iowa.

 


ANNE MILLER

School: Bloomington Jefferson | Year: Senior

Another repeat All-Metro selection. Teams rarely run on her due to her quick release and rocket arm. Hit .409 with three home runs and 21 RBI. Will play at Minnesota.

 


All-metro first team fielders

               

TAYLOR BROSS

School: Blaine | Year: Senior | Position: Shortstop

All-around athlete who is a natural on the diamond. Anchors the middle of the infield and has a powerful arm. Hit .391 with eight home runs. Her 25 RBI are a school record. Augustana-bound.

 


BRITTNEY DAVIS

School: Champlin Park | Year: Senior | Position: Third base

Exceptional with the bat and in the field. Can shut down opponents offenses with her defense. Hits for average and power: .538 with four home runs, 30 RBI in the pitching-rich Northwest Suburban Conference.

 


NATALIE DENHARTOG

School: Hopkins | Year: Junior | Position: Shortstop

Five-tool player who can steal base hits with her laser arm. Always puts a strong swing on the ball, resulting in a .500 average (33-for-66) with five home runs, 30 RBI. Verballed to Augustana.

 


EMILY HANSEN

School: Buffalo | Year: Junior | Position: Shortstop

Phenomenal hitter with exceptional hand-eye coordination. Future Gopher put together a remarkable 18-for-18 streak. Hit .694 with nine home runs, 37 RBI, 1.323 slugging percentage.

 


DELANEY YOUNG

School: Park of Cottage Grove | Year: Junior | Position: Third base

Game-changer at the plate. Tremendous production despite getting pitched around often, resulting in nearly 20 bases on balls. Hit .515 (35-for-68) with five home runs and 32 RBI.

 


All-Metro second team

              

Pitchers

Maddie Muelken, Farmington, sr.: Posted a 14-3 record, led the Tigers to the Class 4A state tournament.

Erin Poepping, Totino-Grace, sr.: East Carolina-bound, went 18-2 for the Class 3A, Section 4 champs.

Gabby Sprang, Rosemount, sr.: Remarkably talented, missed 10 games with a knee injury. Signed with Tennessee.

Megan Baniecke, Forest Lake, sr.: Terrific season was set back briefly by a concussion.

Megan Osterhaus, Burnsville, sr.: One opposing coach called her the “toughest pitcher we saw all year.”

 

Catchers

Torri Chute, Stillwater, soph.: Hit .500 with five HR, school-record 34 RBI.

Molly McGarry, Edina, sr.: Hit .582 with seven HR, 32 RBI, helped Hornets to the Lake Conference title.

Abby Sagert, Prior Lake, jr.: Big and strong, shuts down opposing teams’ running games.

 

Fielders

Emma Frost, Farmington, 3B, so.: Powerful bat that scares. Tied for metro lead with nine HRs.

Taylor Luecke, Eagan, 2B, sr: Hit .474 batting leadoff, perfect in the field.

Mary Pardo, Blaine, OF, jr: Remarkably fast. Stole 21 bases, hit nine HR.

Alyssa Wicks, Anoka, 1B, sr.: Hit .443 with seven HR, 26 RBI.

 


All-metro third team

           

PITCHERS

Sarah Johnson, Annandale, jr.

Kathryn Proper, St. Paul Como Park, sr.

Marissa Hawkins, Tartan, jr.

Mia Kraimer, New Prague, soph.

CATCHERS

Isabel Gese, DeLaSalle, sr.

Taylor Koehnen, New Prague, sr.

FIELDERS

Rachel Reinke, Hastings, OF, sr.

Kayla Madison, Forest Lake, SS, sr.

Holly Blaska, Champlin Park, SS, soph.

Jade Tomashek, Maple Grove, 2B, soph.

Alexandra Thompson, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, OF, sr.

Alex Velazquez, Chanhassen, OF, sr.

 


The MN Softball Hub poll is based on opinion and for entertainment purposes only.


How the team was chosen

The all-metro teams and player of the year were chosen based on nominations from metro area coaches, conversations with coaches and staff observations.


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