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Nauvoo-Colusa's Marting Makes Her Mark
by Matt Levins, THE HAWK EYE (used with permission)
Nauvoo-Colusa High School senior pitcher Sarah Marting had the kind of season most players only dream about.
The Coe College recruit led the Lady Vikings to an 18-5 record and a regional championship in perhaps the best season in school history.
Marting was simply dominating, both on the mound and at the plate. As a pitcher, Marting fashioned an 18-4 record with a minuscule 0.29 earned-run average.
In 143 innings, she struck out 232 batters and surrendered just 29 walks. At the plate, Marting was 31 for 71 for a .465 batting average and have a .598 on-base percentage. She drove in 36 runs with seven doubles and two triples.
Marting was a unanimous selection as Player of the Year on The All-Hawk Eye spring softball team. Marting is joined by teammates Jessi Harris and Stacia Logan on the team. Harris was Marting's battery mate the last two seasons, while Logan was one of the top center fielders in the area. They played integral roles in helping the Lady Vikings advance to sectionals.
Nauvoo-Colusa coach Bill Ferrill, who led the team to a 33-14 record the last two season, was named Coach of the Year.
Southern, which lost to Nauvoo-Colusa in the regional championship game, landed three players on the first team. Freshman pitcher Mindy Morrison blossomed into one of the top pitchers in the area and locked horns with Marting in a thrilling regional title game. Morrison posted a 7-2 record, including 5-0 in the Bi-County Conference.
She was equally adept at the plate, where she had a .542 batting average with four doubles and a triple. Morrison, who also played first base and third base for the Belles, had a .982 fielding percentage. Joining Morrison are teammates Laura Symmonds and Ashlie Cargill, both first team all-conference picks.
Symmonds, a junior shortstop, is making her second appearance on the All-Hawk Eye team. She hit .400 this year and have a .981 fielding percentage in her first year at the position.
Cargill, a senior outfielder, recorded 22 put outs from her center field position and was flawless in the field.
LaHarpe-Northwestern junior Amber Pence is making her second appearance on the team. She was a catcher last season before moving to shortstop this year.
Pence just missed hitting for the cycle in a post-season game against Union.
She is joined by teammate Rebekah Bruns, who helped the Thunder to a successful season.
Bruns fanned eight batters and allowed just 3 hits in the regional win over Union.
The Thunder finished with a 9-15 record, losing to Nauvoo-Colusa in a regional semifinal.
Freshman pitcher infielder Ashley Johnson showed talent this season for Union. She had a 9-3 record and a 2.00 ERA, allowing 61 runs, 22 earned, and 83 hits in 73 2/3 innings. She struck out 97 batters and 39 walks.
Johnson's teammate, senior catcher Traci Link, proved to be one of the best all-around players in the area. She hit .385 with a .590 slugging percentage. She scored 14 runs, drove in seven runs and struck out just four times all season.
Hamilton junior pitcher/ outfielder Andrea Helenthal helped the Cardinals advance to a regional semifinal before falling to Southern.
She had a .346 batting average, a .596 slugging percentage, and a .950 fielding percentage while posting a 1.18 ERA on the mound.
Carthage senior second baseman Rachel Dickerson saved her best for last. In her final year for the Bluegirls, Dickerson hit .355 with an on-base percentage of .412 and a fielding percentage of .937. She led Carthage in hitting.
2002 All Hawk Eye Spring Softball Team includes, front row, from left: Laura Symmonds (Southern), Rachel Dickerson (Carthage), Stacia Logan (Nauvoo-Colusa), and Andrea Helenthal (Hamilton). Middle Row, from left: Mindy Morrison (Southern), Sarah Marting (Nauvoo-Colusa), Ashley Johnson (Union), and Traci Link (Union). Back row, from left: Ashlie Cargill (Southern), Coach Bill Ferrill (Nauvoo-Colusa), Amber Pence (LaHarpe-Northwestern), and Rebekah Bruns (LaHarpe-Northwestern).