Wallowa Valley’s Grovers win all-league accolades

Published 9:50 pm Monday, June 5, 2023

The Wallowa County baseball team was not only dominant on the field in Special District 3 play, but dominant in the all-league awards.

Six athletes earned all-league recognition from the coaches of Special District 3, highlighted by Jaxon Grover being named district player of the year and Zack Grover being named coach of the year.

Jaxon Grover was a huge contributor at the plate and at the mound for the Eagles, who went 17-7 and hosted Wallowa County’s first baseball playoff game in 15 years. At the plate, Grover, who was a first-team infielder, hit .506 and had an on-base percentage of .614. The junior scored 43 times, stole 31 bases, and, perhaps most impressively, struck out just twice on the season. On the mound, the second-team pitcher went 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA. He recorded 52 strikeouts and had an opposing batting average of .217.

Three other Wallowa County players were named to the first team, including outfielder Gabe Nobles. Nobles was a force at the plate and was called one of the team’s top two offensive players by coach Grover. He finished with a .459 batting average, a .560 on-base percentage and drove in 24 runs.

Caden Fent was named to the first team at first base. He had a batting average of .324, and was solid covering his base with a fielding percentage of .942.

Rounding out the first-teamers was Drew Beachy, who asserted himself as the staff ace. The senior went 8-1 with a 1.62 ERA. He struck out 87 batters and limited opposing batters to a scant .149 batting average.

On the second team was Lane Rouse as an infielder. Rouse, who Grover said was the team’s biggest power threat, batted .375 with four home runs and had 30 RBI. He added 24 runs scored, tallied a .487 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .719.

Maclane Melville was a do-everything player for the Eagles, and as such earned designation as second-team utility. Melville hit .397 with 15 RBI, 34 runs scored, a .489 on-base percentage and eight stolen bases.

SoftballThe Wallowa Valley softball team landed five athletes on the Special District 4 all-league first team following a season that saw the Outlaws win 18 games and return to the 3A state quarterfinals.

Leading the way was Cooper Nave, who was a key on offense during the 2023 season. The junior led the Outlaws in numerous offensive categories, including batting average (.672), home runs (eight), RBI (44), hits (43), doubles (12), on-base percentage (.750) and slugging percentage (1.234). Nave impressively had twice as many home runs as strikeouts, with just four on the season. The highlight came when she hit a walkoff three-run home run to win the Outlaws’ first-round game against Harrisburg.

Abby Straight, who was named first-team first baseman, was second on the team in batting average, hitting an even .500, and added two home runs and 28 RBIs. She scored 30 runs, was second on the team with 39 hits and 10 doubles, and had a slugging percentage of .756.

Sophie Moeller, who was a first-team infielder, hit .377 with six home runs and 29 RBI. The Outlaws’ leadoff hitter led the team in runs scored with 39, added eight doubles, had a .490 on-base percentage and slugged .740.

Alex Rowley was a first-team outfielder after hitting .353 with one home run, 21 RBI and 24 runs scored with a .470 on-base percentage.

Aimee Meyers rounded out the first-team honorees at pitcher after pitching in all but one game for Wallowa Valley. She finished with an 18-5 record and a 3.58 ERA. She pitched 131 innings, allowed 133 hits, walked 28 batters and struck out 121. She was also solid at the plate with a .394 batting average, 18 RBI and 25 runs scored.

Receiving honorable mention were outfielders Sydney Hopkins and Maci Marr. Hopkins hit .286 with 19 RBI, 23 runs scored and a .439 on-base percentage, while Marr also hit .286, had 23 RBI and 20 runs and a .423 on-base percentage.