All-Madera Tribune Softball team
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera’s Tayah Hernandez became the first Coyotes softball player to record a batting average higher than .500 this season. She finished with a .513 batting average while driving in 24 runs with seven doubles and stealing 14 bases with 23 runs scored. She is the Madera Tribune’s Most Valuable Player for the softball season. The Madera Tribune’s Most Valuable Players and secondary awards (Pitcher of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, etc) are sponsored by Round Table Pizza. Each player received a free pizza.
Most Valuable Player
Tayah Hernandez
Jr. OF Madera
Stats: .513 BA, 41 H, 23 R, 24 RBI, 7 2B, 14 SB.
All-League: First team, All-County/Metro Athletic Conference
Heading into the 2018 season, Madera Coyotes head coach Judy Shaubach was wondering where was she going to go to replace the bat of three-time Madera Tribune Most Valuable Player Aaliyah Cuevas. In stepped Tayah Hernandez. She took her sophomore year off recuperating from an injury and after transferring to Madera High School. She sat back and absorbed everything Shaubach had to teach her. She opened the season in the No. 3 spot in the Coyotes’ batting order and didn’t move from that spot. She was so dangerous because of the different things she could do with the bat. The left-hander could pull the ball, go to the opposite field or drop a surprise bunt. She also had enough speed to steal 14 bases and play a solid right field until the return of Mikayla Ruiz. Co-Pitcher of the Year
Kaylee Dawson
Sr. P Madera
Stats: 18-5, 2.50 ERA, 140 IP, 76 K, 27 BB, 76 R, 50 ER.
All-League: Second team, All-CMAC
Dawson was counted on this season to be the workhorse of the Coyotes’ pitching staff. She pitched more than 76 percent of her team’s innings and recorded a 2.50 ERA. She also struck out 76 batters with 27 walks. Towards the end of the year, Dawson took control of the circle and finished the season with nine complete games with four shutouts. She appeared in 28 of the Coyotes’ 30 games. Dawson earns her third All-Madera Tribune selection, second as a pitcher. She earned one after her sophomore season after playing first base. Co-Pitcher of the Year
A.J. Martinez
Sr. P Madera South
Stats: 8-9, 3.55 ERA, 62 K, 10 BB.
All-League: Honorable Mention, CMAC
Earlier in the year, Madera South head coach Peter Gallegos trotted two other pitchers to help keep Martinez fresh for the end of the year. The strategy worked as Martinez started to take control and keep her team in games. She appeared in 22 of her team’s 30 games. She held the Edison-Fresno Tigers and Sanger Apaches to two runs in early-season battles. She held the Apaches to one run in the second round of the CMAC in a 3-1 victory. She held the Hoover-Fresno Patriots to one run in a 5-1 Div. IV playoff victory. She is a two-time All-Madera Tribune selection. The Team
Valerie Ornelas
Soph. C Madera
Stats: .427 BA, 32 H, 10 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 29 RBI.
All-League: Second team, All-CMAC.
Ornelas followed her outstanding year with a just-as-good sophomore season. She should have been a first team All-CMAC selection. Ornelas was one of a record four Coyotes to drive in more than 20 runs. She tied her last year’s total of four home runs and is just two shy of tying the school record. She already has 62 RBIs in her two-year career, which ranks her sixth all-time and is just nine from moving into second place. On top of all that, she plays solid defense with a rocket arm. She takes charge in the game and makes sure her defense knows what’s going on. This is Ornelas’ second All-Tribune award. Camile Vestal
Soph. C Liberty
Stats: .480 BA, 36 H, 10 2B, 23 RBI.
All-League: First team, All-North Sequoia League
Like Ornelas, Vestal followed her freshman season with a better sophomore season. She was second on the team with a .480 batting average and 23 RBIs while tying for the team lead with 10 doubles. Vestal is solid behind the plate, but is versatile enough to play second, the outfield or anywhere else head coach Steve Uyeda wants to play her. This is her second All-Tribune selection. Sofia Perez
Soph. 1B-3B Madera
Stats: .443 BA, 31 H, 6 2B, 2 HR, 20 RBI.
All-League: Second team, All-CMAC
It took a little longer than anticipated for Perez after the basketball season was over. She suffered an injury at the beginning of the season and worked her way back. At the end of the season, her bat started to heat up. She closed the season working her way up to the No. 5 spot in the batting order, giving the Coyotes a potent middle of the lineup with Hernandez and Ornelas. She also swiped a base, but also provided solid defense at third base.
Shelby Ford
Sr. 1B Liberty
Stats: .279 BA, 19 H, 3 2B.
All-League: Second team, All-NSL
Ford became a force near the bottom of the Liberty batting order. She anchored the bottom of the order with a .279 batting average while playing solid defense at first base. She came out to provide the bat Uyeda was looking for during her senior season. This is her first All-Madera Tribune selection. Hollee Brown
Sr. 1B-DP Madera
Stats: .347 BA, 27 H, 12 RBI.
Brown was a starter all four years at Madera. She played a solid first base when she wasn’t dropping throws from her infielders. She also had a knack for doing the right thing at the plate, even if it didn’t help her statistics. She was adept at moving runners over, hitting the other way to make sure runners moved and put down the sacrifice bunt. Brown was also adept at getting the key hit while also maintaining a solid batting average. Camile DeAnda
Soph. 2B-SS-OF Madera
Stats: .425 BA, 31 H, 9 2B, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 9 Sac, 12 SB
All-League: Second team, All-CMAC
Part of the talented sophomore class that could end up having four players play all four years. Once Shaubach moved DeAnda to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, she took off. She led the team in sacrifice bunts, moving lead-off batter Taylor Brooks over so the big bats behind her could drive in a run. However when Brooks couldn’t reach base, she was adept at getting on base herself. She could also bring the power with 12 extra base hits and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 1.116, good for third on the team. Miranda Moles
Fr. 2B, Madera South
Stats: .30 BA, 19 H, 5 2B
All-League: Honorable mention, CMAC
Moles moved into the No. 2 spot in the lineup behind Savaanah Garcia and became the poor-man’s DeAnda. She could move Garcia over with the bunt or use her slap-hitting and speed to reach base. She entrenched herself at the top of the order and in the infield for head coach Peter Gallegos. That allowed him to utilize his best players at other positions. Mikayla Arrieta
Soph. 2B Madera
Stats: .329 BA, 24 H, 2 2B, 7 SB
All-League: Honorable mention, CMAC
Arrieta started at second base early in the season, but with the emergence of DeAnda, Gennahlyn Sanchez and Joslynn Davis, she couldn’t get herself into the batting order. She started at the top of the order, but may get back to the top to replace Brooks next season. She led the team in bunt hits (8) and stole seven bases. Kaylan May
Sr. 3B, Liberty
Stats: .500 BA, 35 H, 20 R, 25 RBI, 10 2B
All-League: First team, All-NSL
May stepped up in her senior season. She is the ninth Liberty Hawks softball player to hit .500 or better in a season. She also led the team with 25 RBIs and tied for the team lead with 10 doubles. With Vestal and May in the middle of the line-up, they combined for 48 RBIs and 20 doubles. Savaanah Garcia
Jr. SS Madera South
Stats: .443 BA, 26 R, 35 H, 6 2B, 4 3B
All-League: First team, All-CMAC
Garcia was the motor that made Madera South run. Whether she was the lead-off spot or in the No. 3 spot in the line-up, Garcia could be counted on to produce. She led the team in runs (by 10), hits (by 13), doubles and triples (rest of the team hit two). With a year still left, Garcia is the school’s all-time hit leader. She also provided solid defense running around at shortstop. However, she was also used at catcher and third base this season. Taylor Brooks
Sr. OF Madera
Stats: .474 BA, 38 R, 46 H, 3 2B, 24 RBI, 29 SB.
All-League: First team, All-CMAC
Brooks entrenched herself at the top of the order last year and Shaubach could have printed all of her line-up cards this season with Brooks’ name at the top. She added a little pop this year with five extra base hit and also was the team-leader with runners in scoring position with a .606 batting average (Hernandez had a .605 batting average), hence her 24 RBI, which tied Hernandez. Brooks also broke her school record with 29 stolen bases. She leaves Madera with the highest batting average in a career, the second highest single season batting average, the single-season stolen base record and the career stolen base record (70). Brooks is a three-time All-Tribune recipient. Joslynn Davis
Soph. OF Madera
Stats: .424 BA, 23 R, 25 H, 8 SB
All-League: Second team, All-CMAC
Davis replaced current Fresno State softball player Aaliyah Cuevas in left field. Although Davis didn’t have the power of Cuevas, she still got on base. She led the bottom of the batting order and was the recipient of many of Brooks’ RBIs. Davis provided solid defense in left field, but she also was utilized as a pinch-runner. She tied for third on the team with 23 runs scored. Mikayla Ruiz
Sr. OF Madera
Stats: .351 BA, 17 R, 10 RBI, 9 SB
All-League: Second team, All-CMAC
The respect and fear Ruiz earned in four years in the CMAC earned her a second team selection. Shaubach had to relegate her playing time due to a leg injury. Ruiz nursed her way back into the line-up and showed how much of a force she was at the bottom of the order. When healthy, Ruiz is the fastest player on the team and even with not fully healthy, was still a threat on the bases. Ruiz was so fast, she scored from first base on a single. This is Ruiz’s second All-Tribune selection. Brianna Burgess
Jr. OF Liberty
Stats: .429 BA, 30 H, 22 R, 6 2B, 3 3B.
All-League: First team, All-NSL
Burgess was the key to the Liberty offense When she was on base, she provided the spark. Burgess was second on the team with 22 runs scored and led the team with three triples. She used her speed in centerfield to keep teams honest. She also stole 12 bases. Burgess is a three-time All-Tribune selection. Calissa Haney
Sr. OF Liberty
Stats: .343 BA, 23 H, 10 RBI
All-League: Second team, All-NSL
Haney was one of the leaders in the bottom of the Liberty order. She batted .343 to keep the line-up going and provide some offense. She played solid in right field for the Hawks in her senior season. This is her first All-Tribune selection. Taylor Valerio
Soph. Uti. Madera South
Stats: .275 BA, 22 H, 18 RBI, 5 2B
It didn’t matter where Valerio played, she produced at the plate. She mainly batted clean-up for the Stallions and led the team in RBIs. She was also second with five doubles. She produced in the circle with a 1-3 record on a 4.31 ERA, starting seven games. She played every infield position except shortstop and was solid at each one. Jaclyn Smith
Fr. Uti Liberty
Stats: 4-4, 7 GS, 42 K, 47.2 IP, .449 BA, 35 H, 16 RBI, 7 2B.
All-League: Underclassman of the Year, NSL, First team, All-NSL.
Smith is one of the up and comers in the NSL. In the next couple of years, she will team with Shevenell to produce a dominant 1-2 punch in the circle. She will team with Vestal to provide another 1-2 punch at the top of the Liberty line-up. Sarah Shevenell
Soph. P Liberty
Stats: 7-9, 3.50 ERA, 97 K, 92 IP
All-League: Second team, All-NSL
When it comes to pitching, Shevenell has a big name to look up to. Her sister, Hannah, had a dominant Liberty career and took it to Lake Erie College. Sarah wants to establish her own name in the Liberty record books. Hannah set the bar high and now Sarah wants to clear it. She has the potential to do so. Uyeda turned to Shevenell late in the season and became the go-to pitcher for the Hawks.
