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The first team features player of the year Josie Bird, a senior catcher from Lincoln County. Bird signed with Indiana University.

Bird is so talented she drew 38 walks in 28 games, including 10 in a row during a stretch in the postseason. Bird smashed 11 home runs, drove in 38 runs, batted .563, slugged 1.154 and reached base at a .716 clip. Bird also whacked seven doubles and one triple.

Bird was just as stellar with the glove, making only one error for a .996 fielding percentage.

Bird would handle a tremendously talented pitching staff on the All-Tri-State squad, which includes her Panthers teammate Ryleigh Shull, who signed with Louisiana Tech. Shull went 8-1 with a 2.06 earned run average. She struck out 97, walked 37 and allowed 36 hits in 102 innings.

The rotation includes another NCAA Division I hurler in FairlandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Kaylee Salyer, who signed with Western Michigan. Salyer went 14-7 with a 2.12 ERA, 182 strikeouts, 28 walks and 110 hits allowed in 125 1/3 innings. SheÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s joined on the staff by Glenville State signee Madison Pitts of Spring Valley. Pitts was 13-8 with a 3.26 ERA, 154 strikeouts, 75 walks and 97 hits allowed in 113 2/3 innings.

Rounding out the rotation, Coal Grove junior Abbie Deeds led the Hornets to an Ohio Valley Conference championship, going 16-6 with a 2.09 ERA. In 154 innings, Deeds fanned 253, walked 46 and allowed 101 hits. Cabell Midland sophomore Drea Watts helped the Knights to the state tournament, going 10-4 with a 3.15 ERA. In 117 2/3 innings, she allowed 115 hits, whiffed 161 and walked 39.

Watts is one of several Cabell Midland standouts on the All-Tri-State team. Shortstop Quinn Ballengee has a Division I offer from East Tennessee State. Ballengee, the KnightsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ all-time home run leader, went deep 12 times this season, drove in 36 runs and batted .403 with nine doubles, one triple and 13 stolen bases. Third baseman Nicole Harris of Cabell Midland posted a .439 average, seven home runs, 38 runs batted in, six doubles, two triples and nine stolen bases.

First baseman Olivia Bell homered nine times, plated 48 runs, batted .515, doubled 11 times and tripled twice. Outfielder Addie Perdue hit .405 with 23 RBIs, two homers, nine doubles and four triples. She swiped nine bags.

A pair of Spring Valley juniors committed to Marshall University joined Pitts on the first team. Sydney Turner, one of the newspaperÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s utility players, led West Virginia high schoolers with a .602 batting average. She stole 33 bases and hit four home runs, five triples and two doubles to go with 19 RBIs. Outfielder Kate Spry batted .533 with 11 steals, six homers, 35 RBIs, seven doubles and three triples.

Shawnee State University signee Bella Sorbilli, an outfielder from Ironton, launched nine homers, knocked in 38 runs and batted .368 with six doubles. James Madison University recruit Lili Smith of Russell made the newspaperÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s squad as a utility player. Smith hit nine home runs, drove in 42 runs and batted .538. She smacked eight doubles, two triples and stole 10 bases.

Rounding out the first team are infielders Jaden Jones of Hurricane and Jaycie Goad of Boyd County. Jones hit .465 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs, six triples and four doubles. Goad hit 10 dingers, plated 40 runs, batted .412, doubled 12 times and tripled four.

Aaron Rice of Coal Grove is coach of the year after leading the Hornets to a 17-8 record, as well as OVC sectional and district titles. The HornetsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ appearance in the regional semifinals was the first in their history.

The second team features college signees in Cabell Midland catcher Sabrina Rose (Presbyterian), Spring Valley first baseman Brenna Reedy (WVU Tech), River Valley pitcher Abby Hollanbaugh (Rio Grande) and Russell pitcher Audrey Patel (Wilmington).

Also making the squad are Cabell Midland second baseman Becca Conrad, Ironton shortstop Khamil Martin, Hurricane third baseman Punkie Harper, outfielders Payton Staats of Wahama, Katy Bell of Fairland and Baylee Smith of Cabell Midland; pitchers Braylin Wallace of Ironton, Davanna Grubb of Raceland and Annabelle Menshouse of Fairview, and utility players Kennedy Davis of Spring Valley, Dani Crum of Lawrence County and Desiree Simpson of Symmes Valley.