The baseball and softball teams at Holy Savior Menard had very successful seasons and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s All-State committee noticed.
Menard had four first-team Class 2A All-State selections and five more honorable mention picks among the softball and baseball teams announced Thursday by the LSWA.
Three Eagles made the All-State first-team baseball roster: first baseman Drake Aldredge, pitcher Cooper Scott and catcher Ben Wade, all seniors.
One Menard softball standout, senior infielder Emily DeSelle, was a first-team All-State selection.
The Lady Eagles’ honorable mention selections were Emma Davis, Sophie Giordano, Kaylee Methvin, and Sawyer Shelton.
For the Eagles, Coen Laroux was an honorable mention choice.
All of the All-State first-teamers made the Rapides Parish Journal All-Parish teams announced earlier this month. Their bio capsules from the All-Parish roster follow below.
Softball
Designated Player: Emily DeSelle, Sr.– Last season’s All-Parish Outstanding Player was one of the top power hitters in the parish, batting .554 with seven home runs, 12 doubles, five triples and 43 RBIs as the shortstop and only senior on the Lady Eagles’ Division III quarterfinal team.
Baseball
Pitcher: Cooper Scott, Sr. – The 2024 All-Parish Most Outstanding Player, the LSUE signee was lights-out on the mound, finishing with a 9-0 record, 1.02 ERA and one save in 12 appearances. He gave up just 13 total runs, including nine earned, and struck out 59 batters in 62 innings. When he wasn’t pitching, Scott found a home in right field and shook off an early-season slump to finish with a .292 batting average, eight doubles, five triples, three home runs and 20 RBIs while leading the team with 24 walks, 33 runs and 23 stolen bases.
Catcher: Ben Wade, Sr. – The College of the Desert (California) signee returns for a second straight season on the All-Parish team after batting .300 with three doubles, one triple and 15 RBIs while making just three errors and throwing out nine runners trying to steal. Wade was batting just .204 through March but was the team’s second-leading hitter with a .444 average in April and May.
First Base: Drake Aldredge, Sr. – The Eagles’ most consistent hitter throughout the season, the Louisiana Christian signee returns for a second straight season as the All-Parish first baseman after leading the Eagles with a .402 batting average, 39 hits, 11 doubles and 26 RBIs while also adding a home run, scoring 13 runs, striking out just six times and making just three errors in 218 chances.