Marengo Academy sweeps all four Watchman baseball, softball awards

Marengo Academy coach Danny Stenz hugs Andrea Edmonds after the Lady Longhorns finished as state runner-up in the 2014 season. Stenz is the West Alabama Watchman softball Coach of the Year while Edmonds won Player of the Year honors.
Marengo Academy coach Danny Stenz hugs Andrea Edmonds after the Lady Longhorns finished as state runner-up in the 2014 season. Stenz is the West Alabama Watchman softball Coach of the Year while Edmonds won Player of the Year honors.

State runner-up performances by the Marengo Academy softball and baseball teams in the 2014 season helped the Longhorns to sweep the West Alabama Watchman All-County awards.

Marengo Academy representatives took Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors in both sports this season.

Taking Player of the Year honors in softball was Lady Longhorn hurler Andrea Edmonds, who worked her way to a 21-6 record with a sterling 1.33 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 153 innings.

The junior pitcher walked only 16 batters on the season and really staked her claim to Player of the Year honors in the final weekend of the season when she pitched all 41 innings in two days during her team’s state tournament run.

Edmonds also did work at the plate with a .383 batting average and a .469 on-base percentage.

For the second straight season, Danny Stenz takes softball Coach of the Year honors, marking his fourth such award from The West Alabama Watchman. Stenz led his team to the state semi-finals and a 23-7 record during the 2014 season. The run came just months after Stenz led the Lady Longhorn basketball team to an unbeaten season and a state championship.

(Photo by Collin Sheffield) Kyle Friday won West Alabama Watchman Baseball Player of the Year honors in 2014.
(Photo by Collin Sheffield)
Kyle Friday won West Alabama Watchman Baseball Player of the Year honors in 2014.

Player of the Year honors in baseball go to Marengo Academy shortstop and No. 1 starting pitcher Kyle Friday. The junior batted in the three hole for the Longhorns this season, stroking his way to a robust .404 average to go along with seven homers and 42 RBIs, both of which were county highs.

Friday also led the way for MA on the mound, striking out 40 batters in 49 and a third innings while working himself to a 1.56 ERA.

Coach of the Year honors in baseball go to Eddie Edwards, who took his team to a state runner-up finish and a 23-10-2 record in one of the biggest turnaround seasons anywhere in the state during 2014.