Softball: All-County team

A sure way to put yourself into an early hole against Center Grove’s softball team was to put Hannah Haberstroh on base. Even a seemingly innocuous walk or a bunt single meant trouble, because the junior outfielder wasn’t likely to stay on first for very long.

“The more bases we can take for the team, the better,” Haberstroh said. “It gets me in better scoring position so my other teammates can hit me in. Just whatever is going to help the team in the end, and I think that’s what pushes me to be so aggressive on the bases.”

Aggressive to the tune of a school-record 30 stolen bases, Haberstroh was a destructive force at the top of the Trojans’ lineup, and she is the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year.

Haberstroh — who batted .495 this spring with seven doubles, three triples, 37 runs scored and 20 driven in — has been a mainstay at the top of Alyssa Coleman’s lineup since she was a ninth-grader, but she’s continued to grow her all-around game throughout that time and her confidence has grown as a result.

“I definitely have learned a lot from my players and coaches the past few years,” she said. “I feel like I’m a lot more comfortable now; my freshman year I was nervous and I wasn’t certain on my decisions, but now I’m really confident and I think my aggression has really grown.”

Often utilized primarily as a slapper who can take advantage of her speed to get on base, Haberstroh hopes to spend the summer travel season and her offseason working on developing her full swing so she can be more of a threat when staying in the batter’s box.

The coaches at Ohio State, where Haberstroh has verbally committed to play her college ball, are looking for her to be more of a well-rounded threat at the plate, and she’s working to accommodate them.

“Slapping is my safe go-to,” she said. “I can grow as a player if I develop my full swing more.”

That growth has Coleman excited about the 2024 season; though the Trojans’ coach calls Haberstroh “perfect,” she’s excited by the fact that her leadoff hitter still has the ability to be even better.

Between now and next spring, Haberstroh will also be driven by a desire to script a proper ending to her high school career. Center Grove, hurt by a key midseason injury to top pitcher Riley Henson this spring, has been knocked out of the tournament by sectional rival Mooresville in each of the past two years, a fact that doesn’t sit well with Haberstroh and her teammates.

“I think we’re going to have a great year next year,” Haberstroh said. “I know that me along with my other teammates are really hungry to win, so I think that next year we’re going to come out strong and make a deep run.”

Running will be, quite literally, heavily involved if the Trojans are to do so — and not too many are better in that department than Haberstroh is.

ALL-COUNTY TEAM

The 2023 All-County team for softball:

MacKenzie Bieker, Edinburgh junior: Batted .552 with a county-leading 14 home runs and 55 RBIs for the Lancers, posting an on-base plus slugging of 1.879 … Had a 2.36 earned-run average in the pitching circle, striking out 225 batters while walking just 31.

Adeline Blackwell, Franklin sophomore: Led all county players with 50 stolen bases while batting .540 with seven doubles … Counted seven doubles among her 54 hits and scored a team-best 41 runs.

Gracie Crawhorn, Edinburgh senior: Hanover College recruit closed her prep career by batting .594 with a county-leading 18 doubles and two home runs … Scored 36 runs and drove in 34 more while posting an OPS of 1.679.

Corin Dammeier, Franklin senior: Helped anchor the Grizzly Cubs’ lineup with a .464 average, 11 doubles and three home runs … Scored 25 runs and drove in 33 … Will play collegiate softball at Florida Atlantic.

Alli Gavin, Indian Creek junior: All-WIC selection hit .429 with six home runs, five doubles and two triples, batting in 18 runs and scoring 17 more … Served as an experienced defensive anchor behind the plate for talented freshman hurler Delaney Jones.

Hannah Haberstroh, Center Grove junior: Trojans’ leadoff hitter batted .495 with seven doubles and three triples … Second team All-State pick who set the school’s single-season record for steals with 30 … Scored 37 runs and knocked in 20 … Committed to Ohio State.

Josslynn Harbert, Whiteland junior: Hit .505 with six doubles, five triples and two home runs … Stole 15 bases and led the Warriors with 44 runs scored … Verbally committed to Huntington University.

Brynn Meyer, Center Grove freshman: Led the team with a .516 batting average in her debut season, finishing with 16 RBIs and 22 runs scored as well as nine stolen bases … Helped the team ascend to a No. 1 state ranking during the spring.

Emma Piercy, Whiteland senior: All-Mid-State Conference performer hit a team-best .545, scoring 40 runs and stealing 23 bases while also anchoring the Warriors’ infield … Will play collegiate softball at the University of Indianapolis.

Payton Shimansky, Center Grove senior: Longtime Trojan backstop batted .388 in her final season with nine doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs while also spearheading the team’s defense … Will play her college ball in the Ivy League at Columbia University.

Kiley Sullivan, Whiteland sophomore: Batted .518 with eight doubles, three triples and three home runs along with a team-leading 40 RBIs … All-conference pick also served as the Warriors’ No. 1 pitcher, throwing 13 complete games.

Ashlynn Wolff, Center Grove senior: Finished off a strong career by hitting .411 with seven doubles, two triples, a home run and a team-leading 28 runs batted in … Scored 33 runs and stole 13 bases … Will play collegiate softball at Washburn University.

Honorable mention

Bryleigh Carlisle-Haltom, Franklin; Jasmine Day, Indian Creek; Sophia Doyle, GCA; Riley Fuhr, Center Grove; Emily Fuqua, Franklin; Courtney Hankenhoff, Greenwood; Riley Henson, Center Grove; Mia Herbert, Franklin; Riley Janda, Center Grove; Delaney Jones, Indian Creek; Sophie Keller, GCA; Aubrey Leugers, Franklin; Sophie Markowicz, Greenwood; Mae Munson, Center Grove; Madison Myers, Whiteland; Halle Nett, Whiteland; Kenna Streeval, Edinburgh; Sydney Waldron, GCA; Kynadee Warner, Center Grove