Tess Sito, who pitched and batted Elyria to the Division I softball state championship June 6, has been selected a first-team All-American by ESPN RISE Magazine and EA Sports, Inc.
In addition, the magazine and sports videogame maker ranked the Pioneers 29th in their final nationwide poll.
Of the 28 teams ranked ahead of Elyria, 27 are from the South, Southwest or California. The only northern team ranked ahead of the Pioneers is Masuk High of Monroe, Conn., which finished 12th.
ESPN RISE noted Thursday on its Web site that Masuk “was a tough team to rank because the competition in Connecticut was questionable and there were no games against more proven opposition.” Nevertheless, at season’s end Masuk owned a
74-game winning streak dating back three seasons.
Sito’s selection as a first-team All-American is the latest in an ongoing series of awards for her and the Pioneers, who not only won the Division I state title, but were the No. 1 team in the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll. Elyria was also one of the state’s top teams academically.
On June 11, Gatorade named Sito Ohio’s softball player of the year for the second straight season. She was a first-team Division I All-Ohio choice for the third year in a row and, in April, ESPN RISE declared in a cover story that she is the state’s top pitcher.
“That’s a pretty big honor to have an All-American and to have the team ranked that high in the nation,” said Pioneers coach Ken Fenik. “What a great way to top off a magical season.”
Louisville Slugger and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association last year named Sito a second-team All-American. She lived up to the hype her senior season.
As a pitcher, she went 26-3 with 331 strikeouts and the area’s leading ERA. She posted seven of her victories in the postseason, hurling three no-hitters, three one-hitters and a two-hitter in the Pioneers’ 10-1 title-game rout of Hudson. She fanned 100 of the 151 batters she faced in the postseason. In addition, she batted .509 as the team’s leadoff hitter.
“This is just incredible,” said Jack Sito, Tess’ dad. “It’s awesome and I just can’t put into words what this means to Tess and us (her family), and also for the team. A lot of people don’t realize how this team came together with three freshmen in the lineup to win a state championship. It was wonderful for the community. It’s tough to describe.”
Sito is headed for Cleveland State University on a softball scholarship. She is also a legitimate candidate for Louisville Slugger-NFCA All-American honors, which are expected to be published in the next week or so.
Contact Bob Daniels at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

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