Softball

THE TIMES’ SOFTBALL ALL-STAR TEAM:

P - Teagan Gerhart - Norco - Jr.

Led Norco with a 27-6 record, 0.57 earned-run average ERA and 19 shutouts. She struck out 381 in 222 innings and surrendered only 2.8 hits per seven innings. The leadoff batter, she hit .376 and drove in 19 runs. Committed to Stanford.

P - Destiny Rodino - Hart - Jr.

Talented left-hander came off knee surgery but went 24-5 with an 0.41 ERA and 13 shutouts. Gave up more than one run in only five games, and didn’t give up more than two runs after March 14.

C - Perelini Koria - San Pedro - Sr.

The state’s all-time career leader in home runs (45) and No. 2 in RBIs (174), the Arizona-bound power hitter batted .463 with 35 runs, 44 RBIs and 13 home runs for the three-time defending City champion.

1B - Meredith Hackett - Corona Santiago - Sr.

One of the most feared hitters in the Inland Empire, Hackett batted cleanup and hit .400 for the Sharks with 36 runs, 32 RBIs and nine home runs. She signed with Illinois.

IF - Sam Fischer - Simi Valley - Sr.

Loyola Marymount-bound shortstop had only four errors and was cleanup batter on Division I finalist. She batted .471 with 34 runs, 32 RBIs and 11 home runs.

IF - Madison Shipman - Valencia - So.

One of the Southland’s great young talents at shortstop, Shipman batted .403, stole 21 bases, scored 29 runs and drove in 23 for the Division I champion.

IF - Nani St. Germain - Ayala - Jr.

Versatile player who began season at shortstop, finished playoffs at catcher, and did some pitching and played first base in between. Triggered Ayala’s emergence, batting .394 with 25 runs, 29 RBIs and nine home runs.

OF - Jamia Reid - La Palma Kennedy - Sr.

One of the quickest players in Southland, California-bound Reid batted .432 with 12 doubles and 14 RBIs. From leadoff spot, she stole successfully 20 of 24 times and scored 28 runs.

OF - Andrea Harrison - Garden Grove Pacifica - Sr.

Batted .397 with 35 runs and 44 RBIs on a team with a tough schedule. Arizona-bound recruit also had 13 home runs.

OF - Tiffany Messerschmidt - Thousand Oaks - Sr.

Center fielder who signed with Brigham Young batted .486 with 31 runs, 16 RBIs and 30 steals in 34 attempts.

UTIL - Jessica Spigner - Valencia - Sr.

A Tennessee-bound third baseman by trade, Spigner was called on to pitch and went 29-5 with an 0.62 ERA. The Times player of the year , she batted .480 with 38 runs and , 37 RBIs and 12 home runs and led Valencia to a second consecutive Division I title.

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Coach of year: Reese Mitchell, Glendora

No one expected Glendora, which started only two seniors most of the year, to reach the Division II finals, but the Tartans scored victories over four top 25 opponents over the final seven games to stake their claim as a team to watch in 2009.

-- Martin Henderson