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Player of the Year Madison Wendel Coldwater, senior
Pitching: 18-8, 1.27 ERA, 289 strikeouts
Hitting: .578 avg., 17 HR, 31 RBI
MAC Pitcher of the Year
The record book for Coldwater softball was rewritten by Madison Wendel in her four years with the Cavaliers.
But it took hearing everything read out for her to realize the mark she left in the Cavalier program.
For the third time, Wendel is The Daily Standard's Softball Dream Team Player of the Year, concluding a career that was dominating both in the pitching circle and at the plate.
"I think it kicked in when Coach (Kyle Ahrens) read off all the records during the banquet," said Wendel. "I got on the website after the banquet. I looked at all the categories and said 'Oh my gosh!' I guess my dreams actually came through because going into my freshman season, I wanted to leave a legacy girls can look up to. I wanted to make my mark for other girls to strive for."
Wendel entered her senior season with 772 career strikeouts, already the most for any Midwest Athletic Conference pitcher, and 59 wins, the most for a Coldwater pitcher.
This season, though, Wendel had to do more than her usual hitting and pitching. Wendel, longtime catcher Claire Steinke and Rachel Schroyer became leaders on and off the diamond with a roster featuring four freshmen and two sophomores.
The Cavaliers battled through rough stretches, although Wendel was consistently sharp. Within a span of seven days, Wendel pitched three no-hitters - raising her career total to seven including one perfect game - with two of the no-nos coming against MAC foes.
"We had to work through a lot of difficulties," said Wendel. "We had ups and downs, but we kept grinding. A lot of the younger girls got better every day. I would try to help them with their swing, help with throwing. We wanted the team to succeed."
Some teams were wary of pitching to Wendel - and Steinke, too. Wendel drew 26 walks during the season. In the regular season meeting against Parkway, the Panthers intentionally walked Wendel and Steinke - the top two batters in the lineup - five times each, tying a state record held, coincidentally, by former Parkway standout Haley Hawk.
"Coach would talk about (how) most likely we would be walked," Wendel. "We just had to be ready for that. They (the other players) came to the plate ready to swing. We weren't going down without a fight."
When May arrived and the postseason got underway, the Cavaliers looked to get their first win in district play since 2017, when Coldwater won the Division III district.
The Cavaliers picked up wins over Allen East and Paulding in the sectional, then defeated Fort Recovery 10-6 to reach the district final against Parkway.
This time, the Panthers walked her in three of her plate appearances, but she singled and homered in the other two, driving in two runs in the Cavaliers' 13-8 victory to reach the Sweet 16. The Cavaliers battled 10 innings with West Jefferson in Findlay before the Roughriders won 8-4 to end Coldwater's season at 18-12.
Wendel finished 18-8 with an earned run average of 1.27. In 181 1/3 innings, Wendel struck out 289 batters, breaking her own school record of 278 set as a sophomore, and finished her career with 1,061 strikeouts, becoming the 32nd pitcher in Ohio High School Athletic Association history to record more than 1,000 strikeouts.
At the plate, Wendel batted an area-best .578 with seven doubles and 17 home runs with 41 runs scored and 33 runs batted in as the leadoff batter in the lineup. Wendel struck out only once in 90 at-bats (coming in the May 7 win over Allen East). Wendel's total of 47 career home runs ranks first in school and MAC history.
Wendel, who will continue her career at Central Michigan, was named the MAC Pitcher of the Year for the second straight year - and was either Player or Pitcher of the Year three straight seasons - and was a first-team All-Ohio honoree.
"It feels awesome. We left another mark in the record book and a legacy for (future players) to look up to," said Wendel. "I feel everyone was happy to be there and we finally got past districts. It was a goal to win district this year and not just get there."
