See who made the Lafayette Journal & Courier's 2023 small school all-area softball team

The Lafayette Journal & Courier's all-area softball teams are comprised of players from the Greater Lafayette area.

Coaches are asked to nominate players from their own team, then a ballot is sent out asking those coaches to vote on the nominated players.

The Journal & Courier's Small School All-Area team is made up of players from Class A and 2A programs.

Lexi Miller, Delphi (Player of the Year)

The junior pitcher led the Oracles to their first regional championship since 2010 and second in school history. A first-team all-state honoree by the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana, Miller racked up 314 strikeouts and walked just 59 in 179 innings in the circle.

Offensively, Miller hit .381 with eight doubles and nine triples, driving in 24 runs in the process while scoring 25 runs of her own and reaching base in nearly half of her plate appearances to go with 12 stolen bases. Miller was the winning pitcher in all 18 of Delphi's victories, including a sectional championship over Delphi on her 17th birthday. Collectively, Miller compiled a 2.46 earned run average for the season.

Morgan Cooksey, Seeger

Cooksey compiled an incredible three-year run as Seeger's pitcher, finishing her senior season with 201 strikeouts and just seven walks in 123 2/3 innings, going 16-3 with one save. She also hit .366 with six doubles, seven home runs and 26 runs batted in while owning a .447 on base percentage.

Bella Dominguez, Tri-County

The sophomore catcher owned a .976 fielding percentage to go with offensive success where she hit .473 and had five doubles and two triples. Dominguez stole 17 bases and reached base in 59 percent of her plate appearances, scoring 28 runs and driving in 10 more.

Zoe Foxworthy-DeJournett, Fountain Central

The junior shortstop showcased her game-changing abilities for the Mustangs, reaching base in better than 61 percent of her plate appearances and capitalizing with 38 stolen bases. Foxworthy-DeJournett scored 40 runs and drove in another 21 while hitting .500 with eight doubles, two triples and eight home runs.

Braelynn Hattendorf, Benton Central

Called upon to pitch, Hattendorf went 4-1 in the circle with 95 strikeouts and 25 walks in 122 1/3 innings while fielding .965. The senior also hit .487 with 12 doubles, one triple and four home runs while reaching base at a .585 clip. She scored 20 runs and drove in 15.

Grace Luck, Tri-County

The freshman pitcher helped get the Cavaliers into the sectional championship game after a stellar rookie season where she was 9-1 in the circle with a 0.84 earned run average, striking out 89 and walking 13 in 66 1/3 innings and owning a nearly 96 percent fielding percentage to earn third-team all-state honors.

Luck stole 22 bases, making good on her .631 on base percentage helped by a .556 batting average with five doubles, two triples and three home runs to go with 18 runs batted in and 28 runs scored.

Haley Parish, Seeger

The senior catcher owned a .983 fielding percentage, providing a stalwart defensively to go with a .485 on base percentage and .410 batting average. Parish cranked eight doubles and three triples and scored 33 runs.

Emma Payton, Carroll

The senior filled in wherever the Cougars needed a reliable player, including pitcher where she racked up 150 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 81 2/3 innings, going 6-2 with a 2.06 earned run average. Payton stole 13 bases and reached base in 56 percent of her plate appearances. She hit .468 with five doubles and 17 runs batted in, scoring 20 runs of her own.

Avery Layton, Rossville

Last year's Small School Player of the Year led the Hornets to a second straight regional championship. The sophomore pitcher racked up 246 strikeouts and a 1.75 earned run average while also leading her team offensively with a .521 batting average and 33 runs batted in.

Hannah Merkel, Faith Christian

The junior stepped up as a leader for the Eagles and hit .452 with three doubles, four triples and 22 runs batted in while scoring 19 runs and reaching base 53.3 percent of the time. Defensively, she cleanly fielded 92 percent of her opportunities and in the circle went 3-1 with a 2.45 earned run average and one save, striking out 102 and walking just 25.

Sydney Rainford, North Newton

The sophomore pitcher backed up a solid freshman season with an first-team all-state second year, owning 1.22 earned run average, 159 strikeouts and 20 walks in 69 innings.

Offensively, Rainford hit .438 with seven doubles and two home runs, driving in 14 and scoring 28 times. Rainford reached base in nearly half of her plate appearances and added 12 stolen bases.

Kendal Rider, Central Catholic

The senior shortstop owned the middle of the infield with a better than 90 percent rate fielding and receiving second-team all-state honors. Rider also showed off her speed with 24 stolen bases and reached base in better than 60 percent of her plate appearances. She hit .506 with seven doubles, six triples and two home runs, scoring 37 times and driving in another 23 runs.

Annika Smith, West Central

The junior shortstop fielded .938 while supplying a mix of power and speed offensively, stealing 12 bases and hitting eight home runs, one triple and 15 doubles. Smith hit .471 with a .550 on base percentage, scoring 42 runs and driving in 33.

Kortney Surber, Clinton Central

The junior outfielder cranked nine home runs and drove in 63 runs while scoring 37 for the Bulldogs. She hit .523 with 14 doubles and five triples while reaching base at a .540 clip, receiving third-team all-state honors from the coaches association.

Landree Whiteman, Clinton Central

The junior was the go-to pitcher for the Bulldogs, going 13-7 with a 2.66 earned run average, striking out 131 and walking 49 in 136 2/3 innings. Offensively, Whiteman hit .566 with four doubles and two triples, driving in 11 and scoring an impressive 43 runs while owning a .585 on base percentage.

Halie Williams, Benton Central

The Bison added more to the senior's plate this season and she stepped up, hitting .526 with eight doubles and five home runs. Williams reached base in 58.4 percent of her plate appearances and scored 20 runs, while also driving in 30. Defensively, she cleanly fielded better than 95 percent of her chances.

Summer Wynn, North Newton

The area leader in batting average earned third-team all-state accolades, hitting .594, the junior catcher and shortstop also added four home runs, four triples and 25 runs batted in while stealing 17 bases and scoring 33 runs. Wynn reached base in an astounding 66.7 percent of her plate appearances and also fielded at a .969 clip.

Honorable mention

Kasee Anderson, Emma Bartlett, Ellie Culver and Emma Sorenseon, Frontier; Kaylynn Applegate, North White; Kaycee Askren, Attica; Hunter Biddle, Benton Central; June Busboom, North Newton; Jaden Erb and Mara Sharpe, West Central; Addi Gorbett, Rossville; Jenna Grino and Mallory Mason, Southmont; MJ Harper, Faith Christian; Kacey Kirkpatrick, Fountain Central; Jayden Klopfenstein and Evann Royal, Delphi; Rylie Lanum, Carroll; Maddi Nevitt, Tri-County; Kaylin Randle, Carroll; Claire Rausch, Central Catholic; Bridgette Royer, Clinton Central; Sadie Weliver and Haven Wilson, Clinton Prairie; Macy Kerr and Rylea Wetz, Seeger

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: IHSAA: Lafayette Journal & Courier small school all-area softball team