It was quite a season for Coahoma (Texas) softball standout Hannah Wells.
In her senior season, Wells helped lead the Bulldogettes to their third straight state championship and she was a force at the plate and in the circle. Her efforts did not go unnoticed nationally, as Wells was honored as the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year in softball.
A 6-foot senior right-handed pitcher, Wells went 22-1 with a 0.44 earned run average, striking out 258 in 127 2/3 innings pitched. In her 23 starts, Wells finished with 15 shutouts, including two perfect games and a no-hitter.
She also batted .602 with 31 home runs - a new single-season state record - and 75 RBIs along with a 1.639 slugging percentage. Wells also finished her career at Coahoma as the all-time home run leader in Texas with 86 blasts.
As a senior, Wells was part of a Coahoma squad that finished 35-1 and captured the recent UIL 3A Division II state title.
But winning the Gatorade Player of the Year award is more than just what Wells did on the softball diamond. It also recognizes her efforts in the classroom and in the community.
Wells maintained an A average and was in the school’s National Honor Society. She also has volunteered locally on behalf of Tate’s Place, a non-profit organization devoted to providing for those in need through food banks, shoe drives and Thanksgiving meals. Wells also did other works of community service, from picking up trash, especially after sporting events, to offering instruction to youth softball players.
“She is incredibly hard to game plan against, because you have to prepare high school kids to compete against Hannah, who is already at the level of a dominant Division I (college) pitcher,” Stanton softball coach Joseph Morelion said. “At the plate, Hannah is the best hitter I’ve been able to witness with my own eyes at any level. The ball is going to be hit hard - it’s just a matter of where and how far.”
Wells will now take her game to the next level, joining another team fresh off a championship as she has signed to play at the University of Texas, which recently won the Women’s College World Series.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NEWS
Oklahoma softball signee Allyssa Parker named state’s Gatorade Player of the Year
Michigan high school softball quarterfinals: Schedule, how to watch
Riverside defeats Hackett: Live updates, score of Arkansas Class 2A state softball championship