QND’s Bunte, Pleasant Hill’s Lowe and Brown County’s Dunlap earn first-team all-state honors

QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame sophomore Caitlin Bunte led a trio of area softball players who earned first-team all-state honors from the Illinois Coaches Association.

Eight others received second- or third-team honors.

Bunte, a left-handed pitcher and outfielder, was named to the Class 2A first team, while Pleasant Hill junior pitcher McKinley Lowe and Brown County senior catcher Cyrah Dunlap were Class 1A selections.

Bunte led the Raiders to their first sectional championship since 2011 and a 24-5 record, losing to Effingham St. Anthony 7-6 in the super-sectional. Offensively, she hit .620 with a .675 on-base percentage and a 1.152 slugging percentage. She had 11 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs with 41 runs scored and just nine strikeouts in 114 plate appearances.

In the circle, Bunte started 16 games, threw 129 ⅓ innings and put together a 16-5 record with a 1.95 ERA. She struck out 162 and walked 16.

Lowe, a right-handed pitcher, helped the Wolves finish 28-8 and win a regional championship. She struck out 295 and walked 15 over 156 innings with a 2.11 ERA. Lowe also hit .453 with six doubles, three home runs and 42 RBIs.

Dunlap helped the Hornets go 24-10 and win a regional championship as she hit .520 with 16 doubles and 46 RBIs. She also had a .964 fielding percentage.

Receiving second-team all-state honors in Class 1A were Liberty sophomore catcher Ally Lefringhouse, Central sophomore catcher/infielder Karly Peters, Brown County senior infielder Katey Flynn, Pleasant Hill sophomore outfielder Ava Wombles and Central sophomore pitcher/infielder Lauren Miller.

Third-team all-state selections in Class 1A were Central sophomore utility player Claire Huston, Pleasant Hill junior utility player Jade Peebles and Brown County freshman pitcher Addy Jones.