June 11, 2016
Avon rallies in Seventh Inning to win Class 4A Softball Crown
Sixth-ranked Avon rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a 4-3 win over Penn in the Class 4A state championship game.
Hannah Eiler's one-out grounder towards the second baseman on a 3-2 pitch scored Haylie Foster from third base and lifted the Orioles (26-5) to the school's first softball state championship. Jennifer Chasteen, an 2006 Avon graduate herself, coached the team.
Avon entered the seventh inning with only three hits in the game and trailing 3-2 but Sydnie Foster led off with a single immediately followed by sister Haylie's single to left. After a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third followed by a strikeout, Sydnie tied the score when she slid under the Penn catcher's tag at the plate when Makenzi Nyland bunted back to the pitcher. In the next at bat, Eiler's grounder then slipped under the second baseman's glove scoring Haylie for the game-winning run.
Avon jumped out for two runs in the second inning for the early lead on Monica Carter's single to left scoring Nicole Large from third. Jordan Sharp also scored from second on a fielding error.
Second-ranked Penn (26-4) grabbed the lead in their next at-bat putting up three runs in the third. Mackenzie Griman scored from third on a fielders choice throwing error. Alyssa Griman's single down the left field line later plated both Madelynn Newman and Katie Quinlan with one away for Penn which was hoping to add its second softball state title (1999 3A).
Haylie Foster (18-4) earned the pitching win for the Orioles who finished out the season with 12 straight wins including four top 10 foes during the state tournament. Penn was coached by ninth year leader Beth Zachary.
Alyssa Griman of Penn Wins Class 4A Mental Attitude Award
Members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Alyssa Griman of Penn High School as the winner of this year’s Mental Attitude Award in Class 4A Softball.
The Academic All-State Honorable Mention honoree is stellar not only the diamond but the classroom as well. Griman carries a weighted GPA of 4.07, and ranks in the top 10% of her graduating class at Penn High School. The four-year letterwinner earned many accolades during her career, recognized as First Team Northern Indiana Conference catcher three times and First Team All-State as a senior.
Griman is a member of Key Club and was also a student tutor. Her volunteer work has been heavily invested on the softball diamond, where she has spent her summers coaching and mentoring youth softball players in their summer leagues and camps. Alyssa also volunteers for Hope Rescue Mission of South Bend and provides custodial services to St. Bavo Church.
The daughter of Brian and Stephanie Griman of Mishawaka, Alyssa plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago to study Kinesiology.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance presented a $1,000 scholarship to Penn High School in the name of Alyssa Griman.