By Don Ketchum

Aubrey Whitmer entered the inaugural Arizona Coaches Association All-Star softball home run-hitting contest on Wednesday night (June 6). The Mesa High product hit two out of the yard, far below the winning nine.

That was OK with her. She came back with a pair of even bigger hits, both doubles, including one that tied the game in the top of the seventh inning, to help the West rally for a 4-3 victory over the East in the Division I All-Star contest at Gilbert Mesquite High.

The game had a nail-biting finish. The East pulled to within 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the seventh and had the bases loaded before Phoenix Mountain Pointe’s Ciara Gonzales struck out the final batter.

The left-handed-hitting Whitmer hit a two-out, opposite-field double in the fifth off the third East pitcher, Chandler Basha’s Kailey Regester. Whitmer advanced to third but was stranded.

With one out in the seventh and runners at first and second, Whitmer hit another booming shot off Regester that bounced up against the left-field fence, scoring Tempe McClintock’s Dynasty Lauvai to make it 2-2. Abby Beasley of Peoria Centennial later scored on a sacrifice fly to foul territory by Gonzales, and the West tacked on the third run of the inning on an infield hit and an error.

The West needed the run, as the East came back to pull within 4-3 on a run-scoring double by Mesa Red Mountain’s Sierra Phillips. But Gonzales, who started the game, pitched three shutout innings and then returned to the circle in the seventh, got the job done.

Whitmer, who was named the game’s MVP, said she had not faced Regester during the high school season but had seen her in club ball.

“I was just up there looking for a good pitch,’’ Whitmer said of her first double. “She went outside a little and I went with the pitch. I wasn’t sure if she would try to do the same thing when I came up again. She was still going away and I got another good swing.’’

Whitmer’s twin, Sierra, also played in the game and pitched the sixth inning, giving up a two-out, solo home run to Kasey McCravey of Scottsdale Desert Mountain. It appeared that might be the winning hit until the West staged its comeback.

Aubrey Whitmer barely had time enough to catch her breath before being called out to accept the MVP award.

“It feels good to be able to do this,’’ she said.

Asked if she was going to share it with her sister, she paused for a moment and said, “Yeah, if she’s nice to me.’’

Note: Kristin Hillier of Cave Creek Cactus Shadows won the home-run competition with nine, and Peoria Centennial's Abby Beasley was second with four.