The 2026 softball and baseball campaigns in Hillsdale County culminated in a wave of league honors, with the SCAA East naming its captains and Most Valuable Players after a season that saw several teams vie for supremacy.
Laura LeMar of Pittsford emerged as the centerpiece of the softball accolades, earning captain/MVP honors after guiding her squad to a 9‑1 record and a league championship. The pitcher logged more than 125 strikeouts, tossed two no‑hitters and contributed nearly 20 stolen bases while scoring 30 runs, underscoring her dual‑threat impact.
In baseball, Desman Lawless of North Adams‑Jerome was similarly recognized as captain/MVP. The right‑hander fanned 103 batters, posted a 0.81 ERA and anchored a pitching staff that helped the team share the league title. At the plate he batted .659, collected 29 hits and added two home runs, while also leading the county in strikeouts.
League Honors Across the Board
Pittsford’s softball squad placed seven athletes on the 15‑member first team, among them LeMar, Alexis Bryner and Carman Gramlich, reflecting the team’s depth. Camden‑Frontier also saw multiple first‑team selections, including Paityn Vincent, Regan Schaedler and Sutton Cooney, while North Adams‑Jerome’s baseball side contributed ten of the fifteen first‑team spots, featuring Lawless, Conner Arsenault and Ryker Campbell.
Additional standouts included Jayden Martinez of Camden‑Frontier, who topped the RedHawks in batting average, slugging percentage, hits and RBIs, and Ethan Pickford of Pittsford, who earned top all‑league honors in baseball. Jacob Drawe of Litchfield High School was also named to the first team, joining Luis Thilo, Ayden Gutting, Gavin Gutting and Brady Kerr among the recognized players.
Seth Williams and Troy Shamplo from Waldron rounded out the first‑team baseball selections, with Shamplo earning three mound victories and leading his team in hits, illustrating the depth of talent across the county.