Hoover, Spain Park baseball, softball players earn all-state honors

Four Spain Park High School softball players and one from Hoover were named to the all-state team following their productive seasons, while four Hoover baseball players received the same honor. The all-state teams were voted on by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Headlining the softball list was Class 7A pitcher of the year and first-team player Annabelle Widra. Widra helped lead Spain Park to a runner-up finish at the 7A tournament and finished her freshman season (her third varsity season) with a 23-8 record in the circle.

Widra posted a 1.98 earned run average in 176 1/3 innings and struck out a whopping 264 hitters on the year, while allowing 134 hits. She also played in the infield when not in the circle and hit second for the Jags most of the season. 

Her teammate Maddie Majors made the first team as well after an impressive junior season in center field for the Jags. Majors served as the team’s primary leadoff hitter and finished with a .477 batting average and .531 on-base percentage. The Auburn commit homered nine times and drove in 47 runs, while striking out just five times on the year. 

Also from Spain Park, first baseman Caroline Wooley and shortstop Bailey Bowers were named honorable mention. Wooley smacked 11 homers with 41 RBIs and Bowers finished the year with a .459 average. Of note, both players had four RBIs in a state tournament semifinal game against Smiths Station.

Spain Park advanced to the 7A championship series and finished as the runner-up in the class for the second time in three seasons. The Jags fell to Fairhope in the final series, losing 7-5 and 8-6 in back-to-back contests.

For Hoover, Caroline “Pepper” Nichols concluded her high school career with a second team selection. Nichols, a South Alabama signee, was a consistent and dynamic force atop the Bucs lineup throughout the season. 

Nichols hit for a .470 average and reached base in half of her at-bats for the season. She racked up 62 hits and stole 29 bases. 

“Pepper making all-state is a well-deserved honor for the countless hours of hard work and the dedication she has put forth,” Hoover coach Lexi Shrout said. “We are so proud of her and all her accomplishments.”

On the baseball diamond, Sonny DiChiara, Peyton Wilson, Preston Moore and Scott Elgin were big contributors for the Bucs. DiChiara was named a first-team player in Class 7A and was the classification’s hitter of the year. The Samford signee wrapped up his career by hitting .472 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs.  

Wilson made the second team, as the consistent catcher made his impact felt in several aspects of the game. He hit .386 with eight homers and 35 RBIs, adding 15 doubles and 14 stolen bases. 

Moore was honorable mention after hitting .403 on the year and driving in 51 runs. Moore, who will also play at Samford, stepped in at third base in 2018 for the Bucs after moving from Fairview. 

Elgin went 8-3 on the season with a 1.91 ERA, striking out 46 in 58 2/3 innings. He was named honorable mention as well.

The Bucs finished the year with a 35-10 record and had their season cut short in the first round of the 7A playoffs, as they fell to eventual runner-up Hewitt-Trussville.