Plano East freshman Emerson Bailey, left, has been named the District 6-6A Utility Player of the Year. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media
By David Wolman
Baseball and softball coaches in District 6-6A recently cast their votes for the all-district team, and a total of 14 players from Plano East were honored on that prestigious list, seven from the Lady Panthers softball team.
One of the youngest players for the Plano East softball team, freshman catcher/infielder Emerson Bailey, was tabbed the district’s Utility Player of the Year. Bailey finished her first season in high school with a .342 batting average, 25 RBIs and 10 runs scored. Defensively, she committed five errors on 81 total chances for a .938 fielding percentage and was credited with 57 putouts and 19 assists.
Junior infielder Kayleigh Miller, sophomore shortstop/outfielder Chloe Lee and senior pitcher/infielder Savannah Leonard were placed on the second team. Junior right fielder Avery Hopper, junior center fielder Julia Wilson and junior utility La’Courtnia Butler were chosen to the honorable-mention team.
Miller hit a career-best .323 with 20 hits, 15 RBIs, seven doubles and one home run while fielding at a .903 rate. Lee batted .333 with 20 hits, 20 runs, 15 stolen bases and seven RBIs. Leonard had a .333 batting average with 22 hits, 20 RBIs, six doubles and one home run while striking out 74 in 94 innings.
Hopper drove in 10 runs and scored 17 runs. Wilson finished with a .314 batting average with 11 RBIs, six doubles, three triples and was second on the team in stolen bases with 10. Butler scored 12 runs and collected 12 hits with seven RBIs in her first full season playing varsity softball for the Lady Panthers.
In addition to their dedication and hard work on the field, Bailey, Hopper, Lee, Leonard, Miller, Aisha Nawaz, Audrey Hopper, Ella Anderson, Gina Martin, Jayla Taggart and manager Jade Coleman were rewarded for their efforts in the classroom as they were named to the academic all-district team.
The Plano East baseball team had seven players earn their way on the all-district team.
Senior outfielder Landon Weeks was a unanimous selection on the all-6-6A first team. Senior Landon Leedy, sophomore Ben Stultz and junior Kellan McWhinnie were placed on the second team at pitcher. Junior outfielder Xavien Salas cracked the second team in the outfield. Junior left-handed pitcher Diego Moran, junior right-handed pitcher/outfielder Colt Wisniowski and senior shortstop Tristan Parker were selected to the honorable-mention team.
Weeks capped off a standout high school career by finishing second on the Panthers in batting average (.354), in addition to 20 runs, 10 RBIs and 11 walks. Parker led Plano East in batting average (.372), hits (35), RBIs (22) and runs (23).
Salas drove in eight runs, scored seven runs and finished with a .255 batting average.
Pitching was also a strength for Plano East.
Leedy finished 4-3 and surrendered 22 earned runs in 42.1 innings and had a 3.63 earned-run average.
McWhinnie was on the mound for a team-high 55 1/3 innings, struck out 52 in 55 1/3 innings and surrendered just 16 earned runs.
Stultz struck out 22 in 16.2 innings against 13 hits and 10 earned runs.
Moran went 2-3 and allowed 14 earned runs in 23.1 innings with 22 strikeouts. Wisniowski also had a strong season on the mound, allowing 10 earned runs in 27.1 innings with 15 strikeouts.
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