Poppe heads All-Southeastern Pa. softball team

To get a sense of why Poppe is The Inquirer's Southeastern Pennsylvania player of the year, just talk to her coach. Ron Savastio says the incredible righthander is one of the reasons he continues to coach at 79. He also says that he would pay to watch her pitch; that baseball players have asked him how anyone ever hits her; and that an opposing player once told him after a game, "That's the greatest pitcher I've ever faced." Or you could just look at the stat sheet: In 196 innings entering Friday's PIAA Class AAAA state final, she had a 24-4 record, 0.68 ERA, 71 hits allowed, 374 strikeouts, and 35 walks. She had posted 20 double-digit strikeout games, including nine in a row during one stretch and a season-high of 22 in 10 innings against West Chester East. At the plate, she hit .445 with four home runs.

The Eagles won the Ches-Mont League and reached their first district and state finals by scratching out runs and letting Poppe take care of the rest. She leaves Shanahan for Villanova with a career ERA of less than 1.00, a 71-24 career record, and 932 career strikeouts. "Nothing that girl does surprises me," Savastio said. ". . . She's just a special person."

The Titans ace is so effective, coach Dan Hayes said: "I almost expect her to come close to a no-hitter every time she throws." In a 7-0 state semifinal win over Pennsbury, Stocks did more than come close. The senior's no-hitter would have been a perfect game if not for a fourth-inning walk. On top of that, entering Friday's Class AAAA final, she had hit three home runs and driven in nine runs in the state playoffs alone. Overall, the Robert Morris-bound righthander took a 20-4 record and 0.78 ERA in 153 innings into the final, with 68 percent of the 1,905 pitches she had thrown being strikes.

The senior righthander with the "girl next door" personality, according to coach Jessica Verguldi-Scott, led Radnor to its first Central League title with another spectacular season. Von Pusch is remarkably consistent - she won 14 games for the second straight year, and her ERA went from 0.80 in 2011 to 0.81 in 2012. She struck out 205 batters in 1031/3 innings and, for good measure, batted .425 with 21 RBIs as the Red Raiders' No. 3 hitter. Though Von Pusch's season ended in the district quarterfinals, her efforts on and off the field earned her Gatorade's Pennsylvania Softball Player of the Year award. She will pitch for Penn State next year.

The senior, who will play at Rhode Island, stepped to the plate 88 times this season, entering Friday's state final, and struck out once. All told, Klepchick took a .375 batting average with a .432 on-base percentage and 25 RBIs into the state-title game. She had slugged five doubles, one triple, and three home runs, and provided sure-handed defense behind the plate. For the second straight year, no opponent stole a base against Klepchick. Earlier in the state playoffs, she kick-started two victories - with a fourth-inning, quarterfinal home run to break a scoreless tie with St. Hubert and a first-inning, two-RBI double in the semifinal win over Pennsbury.

There aren't many hitters in the region more intimidating than the lefthanded-hitting Decker. She spent the season on a hot streak, taking into Friday's state final a .487 batting average and an astounding 1.449 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). The senior third baseman, who will play at Lehigh, had scored and driven in 36 runs, hit 12 doubles and five home runs, and walked 12 times, striking out twice in her first 93 plate appearances. Defensively, "she wants to make every play - even if it's impossible," coach Dan Hayes said. Some of her best work came in preserving Haileigh Stocks' state-semifinal no-hitter, with two diving plays in the late innings.

Wood fell in the Catholic League semifinals, but Yoos finished her high school career with a stellar season, carrying the Vikings. Her highlights included a 5-for-5, five-RBI game against Interboro and a 3-for-3, three-RBI game against Archbishop Prendergast three weeks later. The senior shortstop's final numbers: 33 for 61 (.541), eight doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 24 RBIs, and just one strikeout. Yoos heads to St. Joseph's as a three-time first-team all-Catholic League selection.

During the Rams' ride to the Pioneer Athletic Conference regular-season title, Bates hit .478 (32 for 67) with 18 runs scored and a team-high 25 RBIs. The senior shortstop made first-team all-PAC-10 for the second straight year. A superb athlete, Bates, who also plays rugby, signed with Coppin State in mid-May. She led Spring-Ford to a 16-2 league record and a sixth-place finish in districts, setting the tone early with a 4-for-5 effort in the second game against Pottsgrove and a two-homer, four-RBI game against Perkiomen Valley five days later.

The senior capped a brilliant high school career with her best season yet. A lefthanded-hitting speedster, Kalesse batted .510 out of the leadoff spot and stole 39 bases in 41 attempts. Much of Nazareth's offensive game plan revolved around her speed and ability to get on base. "Our philosophy [was] just to get her around. We're happy getting one run in that first inning," interim Nazareth co-coach Ray Keough said. That's because the Pandas defense was so strong, led by Kalesse at shortstop. For her career, the Siena recruit stole 99 bases, won four Catholic Academies titles, and made four district-playoff and two state-playoff appearances.

The Hatters' leadoff batter can hit from both sides of the plate, and she made her mark this season as a lefthanded slap hitter. A year after playing a key role in Hatboro-Horsham's 2011 state title, DiPietro converted from second base to center field and was named first-team all-Suburban One Continental. She set the table for the Hatters by hitting .364 with a .440 on-base percentage. The team tied for first place in its conference, finished fifth in districts, and reached the state quarterfinals. DiPietro will continue her career at Seton Hall beginning this fall.

In the shadow of star pitcher Lauren Quense and an outstanding infield, LaPalombara anchored the Redskins outfield with a .322 batting average, seven doubles, and 18 runs scored. If not for the most stunning upset of the season - a 3-1 loss to Central Bucks East in the second round of districts - Neshaminy might have challenged for the state title. But the Redskins settled for a share of the Suburban One National title with state semifinalist Pennsbury, and LaPalombara, a junior, made first-team all-league.

The junior centerfielder became a lefthanded slap hitter this season, and it paid off in a big way. The Bambies returned to the top of the Catholic League thanks to a high-powered offense that manufactured runs when necessary. Alminde made the difference at the top of the lineup, batting .500 and succeeding on all 12 of her stolen-base attempts. Also a point guard for the basketball team and a forward for the soccer team, Alminde was selected as the only outfielder on the all-Catholic League team.

After undergoing shoulder surgery in December, the one-time catcher returned to the Bears as a designated player and No. 3 hitter and thrived in the role. The senior batted .390 with a .581 on-base percentage, including four doubles, two triples, and two home runs. Boyertown finished in third place in the Pioneer Athletic Conference at 13-5 and qualified for the district playoffs, and McCann was named first-team all-league. It was only her second year of playing softball, as she played hardball throughout her childhood, including a stint with U.S. national women's baseball team. She will play next season for Fairleigh Dickinson.

After playing center field last year, Fortunato took over at shortstop during a spectacular junior season in which the Owls won their fifth straight Inter-Ac League title. The leadoff hitter batted .586 with six home runs in 17 games, drove in 16 runs, scored 29 runs, and stole 13 bases. Her play reached an even higher level during the league season, when she hit .639 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. With three hits and two runs scored in the semifinal game, Fortunato helped Agnes Irwin advance to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools championship game.

The star junior pitcher doubled as the Bambies' best hitter, lifting St. Hubert to its fourth Catholic League title in six years. After losing in the PCL title game last year despite throwing a no-hitter, Ragazzone vowed to get back. This time, she pitched a complete game and reached base in the eighth inning to set up the game-winning hit in a 2-1 victory over Conwell-Egan. She finished with a 17-4 record, 1.05 ERA, and 126 strikeouts in the circle; and a .570 average, 34 RBIs, and four home runs at the plate.