Golden Valley’s Crutcher named Central California Conference softball MVP

Shyan Crutcher was speechless when she heard the news.

The Golden Valley High School senior edged Merced’s Madilyn Nickles for the Central California Conference softball MVP honor in a vote by the conference’s coaches.

“When I heard, I didn’t know what to say,” Crutcher said. “The coaches voted for me, so that means I won.”

Crutcher compiled some gaudy statistics, hitting .531 (17 for 32) with 16 runs, eight RBIs and five home runs in 15 conference games.

“Shyan did everything for us,” Golden Valley coach Ross Cruickshanks said. “She was a great team leader. She led us in batting all four years. She came up with clutch hits, even though teams pitched around her. Shyan earned it.”

Crutcher earned three MVP votes from the coaches. Nickles earned two votes, and Pitman ace Alexis Mettler earned the other vote.

“It means everything that the coaches voted for me,” said Crutcher, the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year the past two seasons. “I worked hard all four years, and it finally happened.”

Nickles, the MVP the last two years, was named the Pitcher of the Year, but statistically, she had a better season than her two MVP years.

The Merced junior hit .500 (23 for 46) with 18 runs, 25 RBIs and five home runs in conference play. She also went 13-2 with a 0.51 ERA, racking up 182 strikeouts in 96 innings to lead the Bears to a fifth consecutive CCC championship.

Merced coach Bart McAfee had no comment when asked about the MVP voting. McAfee did feel Nickles was the top pitcher in the league.

“She threw four no-hitters and eight shutouts,” McAfee said. “She dominated. She had a great year pitching.”

Cruickshanks understands some people will be surprised by the pick, but he felt Merced was good enough to win the league or at least make the playoffs with or without Nickles.

“The best player is not always on the best team,” he said. “Shyan had the respect of all the coaches. Not one coach has come up to me and had a problem with the vote. It’s nothing against Maddy. She’s a great player, and I’ve voted for her in the past. Maddy won MVP her first two years and will more than likely get it next year.”

The other top award went to Mettler, the Offensive Player of the Year. Turlock’s Jill Ogden was named Coach of the Year.

The Bears landed four players on the all-CCC first team: Rheanne Lewis, Megan Kravec, Katelynn Gietler and Shelbee Ward. Atwater’s Cheyenne Mahy and Gracie Santistevan also made the first team.

Buhach Colony’s Jennifer Moreno , Golden Valley’s Christiane Grijalva, Turlock’s Mariah Gonzalez and the Pitman trio of Lehua DeLeon, Nicole Bailey and Spencer Bronken rounded out the first team.

Local players named to the second team included Missy Lalisan (Merced), Monique Collins (Merced), Hayley Lawrence (Atwater), Brittany Massa (Atwater), Maritza Iglesias (Atwater), Siyra Munoz (Golden Valley) and Jordan Reyes (Buhach Colony).

This story was originally published May 27, 2015 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Golden Valley’s Crutcher named Central California Conference softball MVP."