Licking Valley star McConnell gets one final at bat

• McConnell was not allowed to swing%2C and wound up taking a five-pitch walk.
• Five of the seven seniors honored Wednesday started as freshmen

HANOVER – Sierra McConnell nearly channeled her inner Kirk Gibson, but she decided to obey orders from her doctor — and her mother.

Licking Valley's softball star, who helped the Panthers win a Division II state title as a sophomore and reach the state as a junior, had to miss her senior season with a knee injury. However, on Valley's emotional senior day Wednesday against Northridge, she stepped into the box one last time, knee brace and all.

She was supposed to take one ball and was not allowed to swing. But McConnell wound up taking a five-pitch walk. She trotted to first base with a smile, was replaced by a pinch-runner and returned to hugs — and tears — in the dugout. It was a fitting tribute to one of the Panthers' best all-around athletes in recent memory.

"I heard their coach tell their pitcher to throw strikes," McConnell said. "I wanted to swing so bad. But it meant a lot to me, their pitcher walking me and letting me get on base."

"It's amazing (Northridge) let her do that," senior catcher Kori Caughenbaugh said. "It showed a lot of class and respect for her as a player."

Coach Mark Paxton has been needling McConnell about "giving me one good swing all year," just like Gibson did in the 1988 World Series when he hobbled to the plate and hit a game-winning home run. "Maybe she still can in late May," he said.

"This was the least we could do, after her great career," Paxton said. "All-league and all-district three years, Advocate Player of the Year as a freshman. She never made All-Ohio because others did."

Five of the seven seniors honored Wednesday started as freshmen, and seven were regulars on the 2013 state championship team as well on 2014's state semifinalist.

"They've won 91 games so far (including 14 consecutive this season)," Paxton said. "Hopefully, they have several more left in them."

dweidig@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8557

Twitter: @noz75