Montgomery named conference MVP; ten Grizzlies selected to All-KJCCC teams

Story by Wyatt Ebersole

After a season that saw the Butler Softball team win their seventh straight Region VI Championship and eclipse the 40-win total for the seventh consecutive year, the Grizzlies had ten players named to All-KJCCC teams when they were released Wednesday afternoon.

Allyson Montgomery (Pitcher), Emma Koeneke (Pitcher), Kendyl Anderson (Designated Player), Cady Dickey (Catcher), Reece Briggs (First Base), Amayiah Hall (Outfield) Ryanna Valdivia (Third Base) and Briona Woods (Outfield) were all named to the All-KJCCC First Team, while JaKeyla McDaniel (Outfield) and Aly Hageman (Shortstop) received All-KJCCC Honorable Mention honors.

In addition to her first-team selection, Allyson Montgomery was named MVP of the Jayhawk Conference this season. The 5'2 sophomore from Goddard, Kansas has posted incredible numbers so far this year. She has a record of 24-3, has thrown 149.2 innings, posted an ERA of 1.96, and has struck out 231 batters so far this season. The 231 strikeouts are the second most strikeouts in a season by one pitcher in Butler Softball history, trailing only Maggie Ham's spectacular 2013 season of 288. Montgomery is the Butler Softball program record holder for strikeouts in a career, now with 383 after Sunday's Region VI Championship win over Hutch.

Butler Softball has now had the KJCCC MVP on the roster in back-to-back seasons, after Madi Young won the award last season. 

Emma Koeneke, the Grizzlies sophomore pitcher from Platte City, Missouri, has a 15-5 record so far this year. She has thrown 103.2 innings, has an ERA of 3.11, and has recorded 98 strikeouts so far. Koeneke was credited with the win in the Grizzlies region title game win against Hutchinson.

Kendyl Anderson, who split time for the Grizzlies this year as both a first baseman and as the designated player, has a batting average of 0.414, is tied for third on the team with 14 doubles, and is third on the team in home runs with 16. She had four-game stretch in late March where she went 11-12, recording 18 RBIs, and hit five home runs. 

Cady Dickey, who played both catcher and was the designated player for the Grizzlies this season, has totaled a batting average 0.430, is fourth on the team in home runs with 12, and is fourth on the team in RBIs with 48. Dickey recorded the game-winning RBI in the Region VI Championship with an RBI single through the left side that put the Grizzlies up 6-5 in the seventh.

Reece Briggs, who started at first base almost all season for the Grizzlies, has racked up a batting average 0.417 so far this year. The sophomore from Waco, Texas, has totaled 55 RBIs on 58 hits to this point in the year. Her highlight moment of the year so far was hitting a walk off three-run homer in game four of the year against Hutchinson to give the Grizzlies a 9-1 run rule victory.

Amayiah Hall, the Grizzlies speedster on the basepaths, has recorded a batting average of 0.448 so far this year, which is second best on the team. She has totaled 64 hits to this point in the year and is second on the team in stolen bases with 33. Hall had a three-game stretch in late March where she went a perfect 11-11 at the plate, recording six RBIs in the process.

Ryanna Valdivia is the Grizzlies leader in home runs with 21, doubles with 20, and RBIs with 77. She has a batting average of 0.432 so far this year. Valdivia hit a walk-off two-run homer in the Grizzlies season opener against San-Jacinto. She went 4-4 with five RBIs in game two against Garden City on March 25th.

Briona Woods, who started 51 games in centerfield for the Grizzlies this year, is hitting a team-best 0.453, while being tied for the team lead in hits this year with 73. She is also second on the team in doubles and home runs on the year with 18 and 17 respectively. Woods batted 7-13 in the Region VI Tournament this year and scored the championship winning run on Dickey's RBI single.

JaKeyla McDaniel led the Grizzlies in stolen bases on the year with 37. She started all 53 games at left field this season for the Grizzlies. She is tied for the team lead in hits with 73. Went 4-5 in game two against Garden City on April 25th, with three stolen bases.

Aly Hageman started all 53 games for the Grizzlies at shortstop this year. The freshman from Kingman, Kansas was tied for third on the team in doubles with 13. Recorded a huge inside-the-park home run on March 4th in game two against Hutch that was the difference in the Grizzlies 6-5 win.

The Butler Softball team season continues this weekend when they host the district championships on Saturday and Sunday against the Region IX Champion, Northeastern. The winner of the best-of-three series will advance to the NJCAA Division I Softball National Tournament in Oxford, Alabama