Sister Act
DeLaney Sisters Excel,
Named MVPs at 16th Region Softball All Stars
Kay Smith
The Ashland Beacon
There were plenty of laughs and smiles Tuesday during the 16th Region All-Stars softball game held at the Grayson Sports Complex. Some of the area All-Star players played in positions they haven’t played since Little League while others had the opportunity to try their luck at positions they have never tried out before.
The Pink Team was coached by Rowan County’s Kaitlyn Muncy and Raceland’s Scott Adkins. Elliott County’s Jack McDaniel and Boyd County’s Lance Seasor led the Blue Team.
16th Region Coach of the Year, Seasor enjoyed his first experience in the annual All-Star game. “Last year I had just been hired when the All-Star game happened, and I got to go and watch the event. It was a great time, and I remember thinking it would be cool to be a part of it. This year and this season have been a wonderful experience especially as my first year coaching Boyd County High School, winning the region and going to state was amazing.
Getting to be a part of the All-Star game was just icing on the cake. It was a lot of fun getting to know the girls from other teams and getting to be around them in this fun, no pressure atmosphere. I look forward to hopefully being a part of this for many years to come.” Seasor shared.
The Pink Team All-Stars took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a single by Greenup County’s Adrian Wells and Rowan County’s Malana Hamm’s double followed by a ground out by Rowan County’s Lauryn Eastham to drive in the game’s first run.
The Blue Team responded with two runs in the bottom of the first on sacrifice flies by Ashland’s Brookelyn Duckwyler and Raceland’s Kali Vance to score Menifee Grace Rogers who had singled and Boyd County’s Jaycie Goad who reached on a double.
Ashland’s Jenna DeLaney doubled and scored on a single by Greenup County’s Maddy Steele to knot the game at three in the third.
Russell’s Audrey Patel’s single drove in a run to give the Pink Team a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth.
Grace DeLaney would break a 5-5 tie with a bases clearing single, and her pink team would go on to win 10-6 in the scheduled nine inning game. Rowan County’s Kassi Perkins was the winning pitcher.
When the dust settled, the DeLaney sisters were named the Most Valuable Players of their respective teams with Jenna for the Blue Team and Grace for the Pink Team. One of the most memorable moments of the game came in the third inning with Jenna DeLaney playing centerfield and her sister Grace steps up to the plate and hits a soft liner toward center that sister Jenna then makes a running catch for the out. After making the catch, Grace’s little sister made a “L” jester toward her sister all in good fun.
“I’m just glad that my coach sent me to center field that inning. And when my sister came up to bat, I was thinking man how awesome it would be if she would hit this ball to me right now. And then she did. As soon as I caught it, I was laughing and giving my sister the “L” with my hand in the air.” laughed Jenna. “I was thrilled when I heard that my sister made the All-Star team this year with me. And it was a weird but fun experience playing against my sister. I would still catch myself cheering for her every time she made a play or got a hit. And it made the night even better that we both got the MVP of our teams.” Jenna continued.
“I knew as soon as I hit the ball towards her direction in centerfield that my hit was going to be caught. I could’ve hit that ball anywhere else on the field and it would’ve had a higher chance of dropping. Her gesture right after catching it made me laugh and I would’ve done the same thing if the roles were reversed.” said Grace. “Finding out that I was going to get to play in the All-Star game after my senior year felt like a reward after all the hard work I’d put in this past season. And being selected with my little sister to play in another game was a bittersweet experience to officially end my high school career. Us being on opposing teams, however, was completely different from what we are used to. In the end, I still cheered Jenna on whenever she made a play or got a hit.” Grace shared.
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