Trenton High School, in a year that could have been considered a rebuilding year for the softball powerhouse, had a strong season in 2019, with the thump from the offensive side provided by sluggers Lexi Whitaker and Maci Moore, with strong, consistent pitching from senior right-hander McKayla Blackburn. So, instead of a rebuild, the completion of the campaign in mid-October felt more like a “reload”, as with a group of inexperienced varsity players added to the mix, getting better each game, Trenton finished second in the GRC East, won their crossover game with Stanberry in a 14-4 blowout, and, in the final game of the season, challenged the eventual third-place winning Marceline Lady Tigers before falling in the district semifinals in a highly competitive 8-5 game. The Lady Bulldogs were honored on Monday night with the annual banquet at the THS Commons.
Recognized as the Lady Bulldogs Most Valuable Player was senior catcher Lexi Whitaker, who led Trenton in a multitude of offensive categories, including 9 home runs, 41 RBI’s, a .476 batting average, 1.071 slugging percentage, 40 hits, 13 doubles, and a .489 on-base percentage. Whitaker also won the team’s “Silver Bulldog Slugger” Award.
Maci Moore, who furnished a junior season with 7 homers, 30 RBI’s, and a team-tying high 30 runs scored (along with Chandler Lynch), was recognized for her defensive efforts at shortstop, with Trenton’s “Gold Glove Award”.
Junior center fielder Chloe Harris was named Trenton’s Most Improved Player for 2019, after putting up a .333 average, 11 RBI’s, and 17 runs scored, in addition to a team-leading 17 walks.
Senior McKayla Blackburn was named the team’s “Cy Young” winner, with a 16-5 record, 2.43 ERA and 107 strikeouts. Trenton loses only Blackburn and Whitaker to graduation, which, while small in numbers, means that the 2020 Lady Bulldogs will need to find a way to replace the consistent “battery” that fueled the engine of the 2019 squad.
