Krist, Gerhardt, Langdon are All-Empire choices
Two members of Petaluma High School’s Sonoma County League champion T-Girls and Casa Grande’s multi-skilled outfielder have been named to the Press Democrat’s All-Empire Large School softball first team.
Chosen to the select team were first baseman/third baseman Joelle Krist and shortstop Brie Gerhardt from Petaluma and outfielder Sara Langdon from Casa Grande. Krist and Gerhardt are juniors, while Langdon is a senior.
Krist and Gerhardt led Petaluma to a 21-7 record and the SCL championship with a perfect 12-0 mark.
Krist, the SCL Most Valuable Player, batted .529 with 11 home runs. She had 45 hits, 11 doubles, five triples and drove in 47 runs.
Gerhardt batted .517 with 45 hits,seven doubles and three triples. In addition, she was a spectacular fielder, anchoring the solid Petaluma defense at shortstop.
Langdon batted .474 with a .483 on-base percentage for the Gauchos and played outstanding defense in center field.
Casa Grande outfielder Alexus Hale and third baseman Lisa Nadell were picked to the third team, along with Petaluma pitcher Emily O’Keefe and catcher Miranda Swanson.
Hale, a junior, hit .358 and was one of the Lady Gauchos top power hitters with a homer, double and triple. She had a .400 on-base percentage.
Nadell, a junior, was an outstanding infielder and one of Casa’s top hitters with a .354 batting average and a .466 on-base percentage.
Swanson, a junior, hit .391 with 34 hits and 27 RBIs for Petaluma. She had a .449 on-base percentage. She was also one of the best defensive catchers in the Empire.
O’Keefe, a freshman, had a 12-4 record and 2.89 earned run average. She struck out 43 and walked 28. She was also important to the Petaluma offense, batting .280, with 21 hits, five for extra bases, including one for a home run.
Petaluma’s Kurt Jastrow, who guided a Petaluma team with only one senior to an undefeated SCL season and a 21-win overall campaign, was selected Coach of the Year.
Maria Carrillo’s Brittney Veler was named Player of the Year. A senior shortstop, Veler hit .628 with six home runs for the Lady Pumas. She also stole 28 bases.
Player of the Year
Brittney Veler, Maria Carrillo, senior
FIRST TEAM
Kayla Douglas, SS, Cardinal Newman, senior
Brie Gerhardt, SS, Petaluma, junior
Robin Johnson, P, Maria Carrillo, senior
Joelle Krist, 1B/3B, Petaluma, junior
Sara Langdon, OF, Casa Grande, senior
Taylor Matthews, C, Santa Rosa, senior
Kaylah Pardini, 3B, Ukiah, sophomore
Samantha Richards, 2B, Sonoma Valley, senior
Haley Sheridan, C, Analy, senior
SECOND TEAM
Cailyn Callison, SS/P, Piner, junior; Hanna Chew, C, Maria Carrillo, sophomore; Briana Doane, SS, Santa Rosa, senior; Alina Goodrum, OF, Analy, senior; Shay Mendoza, INF, Windsor, freshman; Haley Millerick, C/IF, El Molino, junior; Johanna Peelen, P/DH, Santa Rosa, junior; Amber Rose, OF, Sonoma Valley, senior; Brittaney Scardina, P, Rancho Cotate, freshman
THIRD TEAM
Taylor Christy, P, Analy, junior; Taylor Del Santo, OF, Rancho Cotate, freshman; Vickie Espinoza, 1B/DH, Rancho Cotate, sophomore; Alexus Hale, OF, Casa Grande, junior; Randi McMahan, OF, Maria Carrillo, junior; Lisa Nadell, 3B, Casa Grande, junior; Emily O’Keefe, P, Petaluma, freshman; Miranda Swanson, C, Petaluma, junior; Denia Vera, P/1B, Santa Rosa, senior
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kurt Jastrow, Petaluma
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