Tri-County Citizen

Lady Hornets land eight on all-MMAC squads


The New Lothrop varsity softball team won the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title after going undefeated in league play this season. As a result, eight Lady Hornets garnered all-MMAC honors. Six were named to the first team, one to the second team, and one received honorable mention.

Senior Isabel Henige was a first team catcher. The four-year starter was a three-time all-league selection behind the plate, with no season in 2020. She batted .686 in league, with an on-base percentage of .780. She also drew nine walks, was hit by six pitches, and did not strike out in league. She also had 19 RBI for the Hornets. As a catcher, she threw out 75 percent of would-be base stealers, and picked off two runners. She had one error in league play with 87 total chances for a fielding percentage of .989.

Senior Jersey Hemgesberg was a first team utility player. She also was a four year starter and a three-time all-league section, earning honors in 2019 and 2021 as a pitcher. This season, along with pitching, she played first and third base for the Lady Hornets. In the circle for New Lothrop, she went 5-0 in league, striking out 39 batters in 33.1 innings with a ERA of 2.52. At the plate, she batted .644 with 29 RBI and an on-base percentage of .640. She swatted one home run, and had a fielding percentage of .969.

I. Henige received all-state honorable mention as a catcher. A three-time all-league, all-district and all-region performer as a catcher, she won the team MVP, the Coaches’ Award, the Captain Award, the MMAC scholar-athlete award, was a Michigan High School Athletic Association scholar athlete finalist, and received academic all-state as a senior. She caught 137 innings this season, throwing out nine of 12 runners attempting to steal bases for the year for a 75 percent caught-stealing percentage. She batted .542, with 25 walks, 10 hit-by-pitches, and an OBP of .616. She also had 35 RBI and a fielding percentage of .989 with 189 chances and only two errors.

Hemgesberg was also a first team all-state honoree as a utility player. In her career, she has likely set almost all of the career offensive records in New Lothrop. She was a three-time all-league, all-district and all-region performer as a pitcher. For the season, she had 562 at-bats with 68 hits, 18 doubles, four home runs, 58 RBI and an OBP of .570. She also scored 27 runs and had five walks. Her fielding average for the season was .933. She went 9-7 with two saves as a pitcher, striking out 98 in 87 innings.

Senior Amya Brown was a first team outfielder. She was a three-year varsity player, receiving honorable mention in 2021. She batted .333 in league, scoring 21 runs and stealing 14 bases without getting caught. She also had seven RBI and seven walks with an OBP of .458. She did not commit a single error in the field.

Sophomore Brynne Birchmeier was a first team infielder. She was a two-year starter, and earnd first team honors in the infield in 2021. She batted .562 with 21 RBI, scored 21 runs, and had six walks and five steals without striking out. Her OBP was .563, and she had a fielding percentage of .968.

Birchmeier also received all-state honorable mention for her play at second base, her second straight year of being so honored. She is a twotime all-league, all-district and all-region player, and served as captain of the team this year. She batted .534 with 36 RBI, 10 walks, 27 runs scored and an OBP of .570. She only struck out once this season. On defense, she had a .974 fielding percentage with 76 chances, committing only two errors.

Sophomore Delaney Gross was a first team pitcher in her first year on varsity. She was 9-0 in the league, throwing 36 innings and striking out 37 while walking 10. She had an ERA of 1.944. She batted .500 in her limited plate appearances. She did not commit a single error with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Freshman Victoria Heinge was a first team designated player. She batted .500 in league with five walks and 12 RBI. Her OBP was .594.

Freshman Ashlynn Orr was a second team infielder. She played primarily first base for the Hornets. She batted .571 in league with 21 RBI. Her OBP was .636 and had a fielding percentage of .970.

Sophomore Marissa Rombach received honorable mention. She was a second-year varsity starter, earning first team honors as an infielder in 2021. She batted .306 in league with 16 RBIs, scoring 14 runs and had an OBP of .457.