All-area softball team released: Who from central MN was the best players of 2024?

SAINT CLOUD – With two teams making high school state tournaments at the end of the spring season, mid-Minnesota had no shortage of softball talent this year.

The 2024 St. Cloud Times All-Area softball teams are stacked from top to bottom, starting with an athlete from Kimball, St. Cloud Cathedral, ROCORI and the St. Cloud Crush vying for the title of St. Cloud Times Softball Player of the Year.

ROCORI (21-3) finished as the Class 3A consolation champion led by a group of veterans who returned after losing the same game last year. St. Cloud Cathedral (25-3) also competed in the state tournament in early June, their young core following senior pitcher Ella Voit to a Class 2A third-place finish.

Beating Simley (17-9) and St. Agnes (23-4) in their final games at Caswell Park in Mankato, the Spartans and Crusaders produced winning results in the postseason, but Kimball (23-4) has the most players on the all-area list with seven Cubs named. They tallied impressive individual statistics until losing to Cathedral in the Section 6-2A championship May 30 at River’s Edge Park. Three Kimball players are on the first team, two on the second and three more are included with the honorable mentions.

Four Crusaders are named and Albany (16-8), Royalton (7-13), the Crush (17-9) and ROCORI all had three players make the lists. Sartell-St. Stephen (13-10), Holdingford (7-13), Sauk Rapids (8-14) and Becker (14-10) are also represented. Statistics from Foley (4-12) were not immediately available.

Tallying the highest batting average in the area among athletes with consistent at-bats, ROCORI junior shortstop Sophia Hess is the St. Cloud Times Softball Player of the Year. Hess only struck out three times in 95 plate appearances and she hit an area-leading 43 hits. She beat out St. Cloud senior first baseman Autumn Orcutt for the title as well as sophomores from Kimball and Cathedral Baylie Winter and Tayla Vought. All have astounding offensive stats, but Hess won the title thanks to her experience, team success and a clutch state consolation game with two doubles, a home run and two RBI.

Hess hit .478 at the plate this year, smacking 13 doubles, a triple and three homers for the Spartans. Often batting in the three hole, Hess hit 33 teammates home, putting her amongst the top RBI-hitters in central MN this season. She also scored 32 runs and stole 10 bases while only being thrown out once. In the field, Hess gunned out over 50 opponent runners, only fumbling three errors. Hess was named to the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Aasosciation's all-state second team.

All-area first team

Cathedral sophomore second baseman and outfielder Liz Bell (2B)

Bell is the first of five, yes five, sophomores on the SC Time’s all-area first team – two of whom could have contended for player of the year. In fact, sophomores are nearly the biggest class represented across all three teams with ten players. Eleven seniors lead the way and three juniors and freshmen also made the list.

Though Bell wasn’t up for the top prize, she was the area’s best second baseman. Bell batted .463 this year, nearly garnering a .500 OBP. She had 38 hits and only struck out twice, her .549 slugging percentage (SLG) adding up to an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 1.043. Six of those hits were for extra bases and Bell had 17 RBI and 28 runs scored. She had 10 stolen bases and was named to the all-state second team.

ROCORI sophomore pitcher Jessica Boos

This year Boos stepped into the circle vacated by her graduating sister, Jenna Boos, who last year led ROCORI to a Class 3A consolation loss to Becker. In 2024 the Spartans didn’t miss a step as the younger sister pitched 127 innings in 20 games, going 18-1 and nearly totaled 200 strikeouts. Jessica Boos was named honorable mention all-state and had an ERA of 1.047 and a WHIP of .887. The over 500 batters Boos faced managed to hit only .140 and opponents scored more than five runs in just five games.

Kimball sophomore outfielder and pitcher Riley Fischer (OF)

Fischer is the first of three Kimball outfielders to sweep the first team. She pitched too, splitting time with Claire Maus and playing left field when the freshman was in the circle.

Fischer led Kimball in innings with 103 2/3 pitched, her lineup boosting Fischer’s record to 16-2. The sophomore had an ERA of 4.495 with opponents averaging .242 in 418 at-bats. She faced 418 hitters, striking out 151 and giving up 65 walks.

At the plate, Fischer was a monster. She had 42 hits in 99 at-bats, going .424 on the season including nine doubles, three triples and three home runs. Fischer had 26 RBI and scored a St. Cloud-area high of 39 runs for her team. She also stole 12 bases, only getting caught once. In the field she had one error.

Becker senior shortstop Norah Fitzpatrick

Becker met the end of its season in the Section 5-3A elimination bracket against eventual runner-up Delano (16-4). The Bulldogs had a young lineup with just three seniors, one of whom made the all-area first team and the all-state first team. Fitzpatrick was 30-80 on the year, hitting a dangerous .375. She had power too hitting five doubles a triple and going yard once. She had an OBP of .432 and a OPS of .932, hitting 16 RBI and scoring 14 runs.

Sartell senior third baseman Megan Guggisberg (DH)

Third base was the most talented position group across the area this season. Guggisberg was great in the field, but her offensive stats are worthy of a first-team nomination as a designated hitter. The Sabre hit .432 this year, getting on base in just over half of her 74 at-bats. With two homers, three triples and three doubles, Guggisberg’s OPS rose to 1.141 by the end of the season. She had 32 hits total and took 10 walks. Between scoring and hitting teammates home, Guggisberg was responsible for 41 runs. She is committed to play for Concordia (MN) with her sister Morgan Guggisberg, who played outfield for the Sabres.

ROCORI senior catcher Brooklyn Hofer

Hofer generaled the Spartans this season behind the plate and hit second in the lineup. She tallied impressive stats, going .357 in 84 ABs and legging out over a third of her hits for extra bases. With seven walks and 30 hits, Hofer reached base in exactly 1/3 of her plate appearances, equaling an OPS of exactly 1.000 when combined with her .667 SLG. She had eight doubles, a triple and two homers with 16 strikeouts. Hofer had 22 scoring trips and hit 17 RBI.

Kimball senior outfielder Allison Leither

Leither is another Kimball athlete with a sky-high OPS. Hers is fueled by 10 doubles, three triples and four home runs out of 38 hits, adding up to a SLG of .702. Her OBP was .436 and she rounded the bases 30 times to score. Leither also hit 32 RBI with a BA of .404. She only struck out five times and never got caught stealing. Leither was honorable mention all-state.

St. Cloud Crush senior first baseman Autumn Orcutt

Orcutt led St. Cloud's offense for most of the year, pushing the St. Cloud Tech and St. Cloud Apollo co-op to an 8-6 Section 8-4A championship loss to St. Michael-Albertville (20-6). The first baseman hit .406 in 96 at-bats, including a homer in the section semifinal. She had four long balls in her final year. Those and 15 doubles made for a .688 SLG and a 1.129 OPS. Orcutt had 19 RBI and scored 20 runs. She struck out 18 times and stole two bases, drawing six walks. She also had five errors at first.

Cathedral sophomore third baseman Tayla Vought

Vought is the first team starting third baseman after putting together a player-of-the-year-worthy season that included 34 RBI, 32 runs scored a batting average of .475 and an OPS of 1.430. Most of the sophomore’s 38 hits were for a double or more – she had 10 two-baggers, three triples and four homers for a .702 slugging percentage. Between RBI and runs scored, Vought was involved in nearly 70 Crusader runs. She was named to the Class 2A all-state sotball second team.

Kimball sophomore outfielder Baylie Winter

Winter was the last contender for player of the year after hitting an area-high OPS of 1.446. Winter got on base at the same rate as Vought – .543 – but with 10 home runs, her SLG was .904, the only player in the coverage area to break .900. Of her 35 total hits, 10 were doubles, though Winter Winter didn’t hit any triples in 2024. Also, like Vought, Winter had 34 RBI, but she beat out the Crusader with 38 runs scored, six steals and 18 walks.

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All-area second team

Royalton sophomore outfielder Emily Block

Block carried a nasty .528 OBP hitting second in the lineup, drawing 19 walks on top of her 18 hits and .346 average. She hit 10 RBI and came around to score 20 times with three triples and doubles boosting her SLG to .519 and OPS to 1.047. En route to scoring, Block swiped seven bases.

Cathedral freshman outfielder Kyah Koenig

Koenig hit .380 in 2024, drawing 13 walks for a high OBP of .489. Koenig had power – she drove 21 teammates home with four doubles, two triples and a home run in 27 hits. She was also quick on the basepath, taking eight bags.

Kimball senior outfielder Natalie Loehrer

Thanks to her 26 games worth of longevity, Loehrer is one of the outfielders named to the SC Times all-area second team. Loehrer hit an area-high 39 RBI during the season including five home runs she scored on. Loehrer’s average is .318, but she slugs .568 and has an OBP of .400. She also scored 24 runs.

St. Cloud Crush senior outfielder Camryn Kenning (DH)

HItting .538 in the first eight games of the year, Kenning could have been a player of the year candidate before an injury sidleined her. Still, in 26 at-bats the senior outfielder had 14 hits – 10 for extra bases including three home runs. Kenning already had 14 RBI pre-injury and she scored 12 runs. She had four strikeouts and an OPS of 1.817 split into a .586 OBP and a 1.231 SLG.

Albany senior shortstop Savanna Pelzer

Pelzer gets the second-team nod thanks to a .397 batting average and an on-base percentage nearing .500. Her OPS of .842 doesn’t stand out – at least on this list – but 31 hits with 30 runs scored and 17 RBI was huge for the Huskies. Pelzer had seven doubles, a home run and used her speed for three triples and seven stolen bases. Pelzer only struck out six times.

Becker sophomore second baseman Adyson Petty

With 37 hits in 85 at-bats, Petty went .435 on the year, with a SLG of .471 and an OBP of .489. Petty tied Fischer for most stolen bases on this list with 12, but Holdingford sophomore outfielder Makadence Gallus and ROCORI senior first baseman Maggie Primus led the region with 16. Gallus and Primus had other great stats, but just missed recognition on the all-area honorable mention team. Petty was all-state honorable mention.

Kimball senior first baseman Brooke Stelten

Stelten also reached the five home runs mark, which added to her triple and eight doubles equals a SLG of .654. On the season Stelten had 26 hits in 78 at bats – a .333 average and an OBP of .458.

Sauk Rapids sophomore first baseman and pitcher Riley Turck (1B)

Sophomore Riley Turck is the lone Storm to make the list after only striking out four times this season and hitting an average of .371. Turck’s OPS was .974 this season, combining a .409 OBP with a slugging percentage of 0.565. She had 23 hits in 62 ABs including six doubles and two dingers. She had 15 RBI and 13 runs scored.

Cathedral senior pitcher and outfielder Ella Voit (P)

Voit was the only area pitcher to crest 200 strikeouts this season, but other athletes weren’t far behind despite having played several innings fewer than the rubber-armed Crusader. Plus, Boos’ superior offensive stats boosted her over Voit, who batted .284 on the season. Voit was elite at drawing walks, however, and her 22 free trips to first base ensured a .448 on-base percentage. She scored six runs, had 13 RBI and kept her OPS up at .759.

In the circle Voit was 21-3, compiling an ERA of .877 over 151 2/3 innings. Out of 46 runs given up, 19 were earned. Opponents hit .177 against Voit and she only walked 18 batters with one hit by pitch. She was named to the all-state first team.

Royalton sophomore third baseman Libby Yourczek

Yourczek had one of the highest averages of the season. She hit .464 and got on base at a .538 clip. She carried an OPS of 1.112 despite only hitting seven doubles and no other extra-base hits.

All-area honorable mentions

Kimball junior second baseman Elaina Fink

Kimball freshman shortstop Mazie Jurek

Holdingford sophomore outfielder Makadence Gallus

Sartell sophomore pitcher Marni Koosmann

Albany sophomore catcher Claire Lecy

Albany senior outfielder Alyssa Sand

Holdingford Junior third baseman Lauren Soltis

Royalton freshman outfielder Alise Schoenrock

Holdingford senior shortstop Ayla Young (DH)

Contact reporter Reid Glenn at rglenn@gannett.com.