SLINGING HEAT. Ava Declue finished her high school career with first-team all-state honors. She put on a pitching clinic with a 1.53 ERA and 145 strikeouts. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
SWAN SONG. Evvie Blankenship (left) celebrates alongside her fellow seniors after her final game at Sullivan. She overcame an injury in the Class 3 third-place matchup and returned to the field to make the final out. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
ONE LAST RIDE. Seniors Molly Lohden (left) and Dorie Richardson (right) received all-state honors. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
RAE CORWIN was a first-team all-district awardee. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
CARLI McCREARY earned a first-team all-district spot. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
Softball Hits It Out Of The Park With Awards
The Lady Eagles entered 2024 with a team-first mentality. Their “we over me” approach brought them back to Springfield after three years.
Sullivan kicked off their postseason with three 10-0 shutouts to advance to the Class 3 Final Four. The Lady Eagles crushed Blair Oaks 9-1 to clinch third place on the podium.
Alongside their state medals, Sullivan hit it out of the park with awards last fall.
Ava Declue played lights out, earning first-team all-state, all-district, all-conference and all-region honors. The senior threw heat with a 1.53 ERA and 145 strikeouts on the mound. Declue also delivered at the plate with 27 RBIs, 17 runs, 31 hits, a .307 batting average and a .381 on-base percentage.
Molly Lohden was named to first-team all-state, all-district, all-conference and all-region. The senior led the Lady Eagles with 39 runs, 33 singles and 22 stolen bases. Lohden also loaded up 37 hits, 12 RBIs, a .356 batting average, a .412 on-base percentage and a .404 slugging percentage. On defense, she grabbed 39 outs with a .951 fielding percentage.
Dorie Richardson was a second-team all-state awardee and first-team all-district, all-conference and all-region honoree. She racked up a team-high 167 outs (152 putouts and 15 assists) as a catcher. Richardson also led Sullivan with eight home runs and a .790 slugging percentage. The senior tallied 36 RBIs, 33 runs, 43 hits, 11 stolen bases, a .517 on-base percentage and a .430 batting average.
Evvie Blankenship earned a second-team all-state spot and first-team all-district, all-conference and all-region selections. The senior topped Sullivan with a .457 batting average, a .523 on-base percentage and twelve doubles. She closed out her high school career with 36 RBIs, 22 runs, three homers, 43 hits and a .702 slugging percentage. Blankenship fielded 70 outs and pitched 54.3 innings with a 4.12 ERA.
Rae Corwin received first-team all-district, first-team all-region and second-team all-conference honors. The sophomore assisted a team-high 32 outs. Corwin also shined with 23 runs, 17 RBIs, 36 putouts, 36 hits, a .371 batting average, a .505 slugging percentage and a .425 on-base percentage.
Carli McCreary was a first-team all-district awardee. The first baseman topped the Lady Eagles with 153 putouts and a .982 fielding percentage. McCreary recorded 16 RBIs, 13 runs, 27 hits and a .400 on-base percentage at the plate.
McKynlee Peterson was named to the first team for districts. She put up 23 runs, 20 RBIs, 23 hits, 102 outs and a homer. The sophomore also logged 102 outs and a .903 fielding percentage.