Five area players named to all-state softball squad

The Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association recently released its all-state teams, and several area programs were well-represented.

In Class 4A, Tamaqua’s Miranda Chinchar, and in Class 3A, Palmerton’s Paige Shupp, were selected to the first team.

Shupp finished with a team-high .565 average, collecting 52 hits in 92 at-bats during the Blue Bombers’ Colonial League championship season. The senior led the team with 36 runs, 34 RBIs, 12 doubles, four doubles and four home runs. She finished with a .913 slugging percentage and a .592 on-base percentage for a squad that also reached the District 11 Class 3A semifinals.

Chinchar batted .506 with 39 hits in 77 at-bats to help the Raiders advance to the District 11 Class 4A semis. She scored 33 runs and drove in 24 while adding eight doubles, a team-leading four home runs and two triples. The senior posted an .818 SLG and .537 OBP.

The Blue Raiders also had Jen Frederickson and Ella McLaughlin named to the Class 4A second team. Frederickson, a junior, batted .413 with a team-best 38 runs scored and three triples, 16 RBIs, six doubles, and one home run. McLaughlin, a sophomore, recorded a .385 average, knocking in 12 runs to go along with five doubles and seven runs scored.

Lehighton’s Becky Serfass was also tabbed as a second team selection on the Class 4A team. Serfass hit a team-high .459 in 20 games (74 at-bats), driving in 12 with four doubles and 21 runs scored.

The Pennsylvania Player of the Year was senior Samantha Gress of Central Dauphin High School, which won the Class 6A title.

While coaches are encouraged to nominate members of their team, the paper did not advocate for players or have a vote for the team.