06/18/25 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Team West reliever Madison Peterson (Glendale)

CLAYSBURG — Jessica Hawbaker recently graduated from State College Area High School, where she starred in varsity girls basketball and softball.

Hawbaker is going to college at Penn State University, where she will be immersed in her studies as a Kinesiology major. She doesn’t plan to play any sports at the collegiate level, so her participation in the 22nd annual Pennsylvania Softball Coaches Hall of Fame All-Star Game for recent high school graduates from District 6 Wednesday evening was extra special for her.

Hawbaker slugged a solo home run in the fourth inning, and collected an RBI single in the sixth inning, and Bellefonte alum Jaylee Lose drove in three runs with a sacrifice fly and a two-run single, as the West Team stormed back from an early 5-0 deficit to defeat the East Team, 11-9, at the Claysburg-Kimmel High School softball field.

“This was a great experience today playing softball with and against girls that I know as either teammates or opponents in high school and travel league competition,” Hawbaker said. “This game provides a fun memory for the other players and me as we go on our next era in college.”

The East Team bunched together six hits and scored five runs in the top of the first inning to build its 5-0 lead, with a run-producing groundout by Hollidaysburg grad Lexi Peacock and an RBI single by Penn Cambria alum Sophia Rabatin producing two of the runs.

The West Team responded with four runs in the bottom of the first inning, capitalizing on four walks, a two-run single by Conemaugh Valley grad Katie Ledwich, and a run-producing sacrifice fly by Lose, before things settled down.

Juniata High School coach Craig Bubb, who was the head coach of the East Team, said that the offensive output in the game surprised him, even though the pitchers selected to participate were standouts during their varsity careers.

“I didn’t think there would be 20 runs scored with the pitchers that were in this game,” Bubb said. “I think that nerves played a little bit of a part for all the players at the start of the game, but once the nerves settled down, everybody started to play ball.

“This was a fun game — it’s always a fun game, with the best kids from District 6 playing in it,” Bubb added.

The West Team took the lead for good, 8-5, with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hawbaker’s solo homer and a two-run single by her State College High teammate, M.J. McShea, were the big hits in the inning, which was extended by an error committed by the East Team.

The East Team chipped away with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull to within 8-7. West Branch grad Makenna Moore hit an RBI single in the fifth, and Mount Union grad Callie Trego — who was 3-for-3 in the game — chipped in an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning to pull the East to within a run.

The West padlocked the win with three in the bottom of the sixth on four hits, including Hawbaker’s RBI single and Lose’s big two-run single that scored both Central High School alum Aubrey Rhodes and Bald Eagle Area grad Sierra Albright.

“This game was so much fun,” said Forest Hills grad Mylee Gdula, who slugged a solo home run for the East Team in the seventh inning. “I never had so much fun in my life. I just went up there swinging.”

Cambria Heights head coach Drew Thomas, who was a member of the West Team’s coaching staff, also appreciated being part of the game.

“I think that the players were a little nervous at first, but they hung in there and came back,” Thomas said. “It’s a privilege to be around such fine athletes.”

Hall of Fame inductions

Eleven former players were inducted into the PSBCA District 6 Hall of Fame in an on-the-field

ceremony Wednesday. Inductees from the Mirror core coverage area included Emily Nagle and Jackie Finn (Bellwood-Antis), Marissa Snyder (Central), Kiersten Coho (Claysburg-Kimmel), and Cori James (Cambria Heights).

Other inductees were Mackenzie Burge and Abby Showers (Philipsburg-Osceola), Liza Feagley (Mount Union), Allessa Morrison (Mifflin County), Tara Bainey (Bellefonte), and Julisa Zinobile (Southern Huntingdon).

Underclassmen recognized

Underclassmen who will be returning to play next season were recognized as PSBCA District 6 All-Stars for their performances this past season Wednesday.

Hollidaysburg’s Maggie Hicks, Altoona’s Kayla Sprankle, Claysburg-Kimmel’s Isabella Paris and McKenna Black, Central’s Norah Bechtel, Central Cambria’s Camryn Matlin and Katie Scott, and Glendale’s Jadyn Fey were players from the Mirror’s core coverage area who were recognized.

EAST TEAM (9): Gdula c 422, Lowery ss 321, Baney rf 321, M. Moore 1b-p 403, Smiach p 310, V. Moore rf 411, Peacock lf 310, Rabatin 3b 301, Trego EH 303, McCoy EH-1b 400, Morris 2b 300. Totals – 37-9-12.

WEST TEAM (11): Shaw 2b 121, Stewart ph-3b 300, Albright p 121, Wholaver ph 100, Lane cr-cf 211, Brown of 200, Hawbaker ss 222, Dibert ss-1b 201, Lose c 202, Weld ph 211, Thompson rf 220, Rhodes ph-2b 210, Ledwich 3b 101, McShea of 301, Fetzer 1b 302, Peterson p 300. Totals – 32-11-13.

SCORE BY INNINGS

East Team 500 011 20–9-11-0

West Team 400 403 0X–11-13-2

HR–Gdula, Hawbaker. RBI–Baney 2, Gdula, M. Moore, V. Moore, Peacock, Rabatin, Trego, Lose 3, Hawbaker 2, Ledwich 2, McShea 2. SB–Smiach, V. Moore 2, M. Moore, Gdula, Lowrey, Baney, Shaw, Thompson. SAC–Albright. SF–Lose.

PITCHING

East Team: Smiach (L) 4IP, 8R, 6ER, 7H, 6BB, 2SO; M. Moore 3IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 4SO.

West Team: Albright (W) 4IP, 8H, 5R, 5ER, 1BB, 7SO; Peterson (SV) 4IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 5BB, 3SO.

Umpires: Dave Caldwell (plate); Lynn Smith (bases).