Chartiers-Houston’s Alderson named Almanac MVP
Kaci Alderson batted .560 with a .612 on-base percentage in leading Chartiers-Houston to the Final Four in both the WPIAL and PIAA tournaments. The freshman drove in 37 runs and scored 32 times for the Bucs.
Kaci Alderson has been named Almanac MVP for girls’ softball after a season that saw her maintain a .747 slugging percentage thanks to 10 doubles, two triples and five home runs.
Kaci Alderson has already won a national championship while playing for the Lady Knights. That AAU team won the 14-and-under title.
Kaci Alderson starts at shortstop for the Lady Buccaneers.
Beginner’s luck? Not for Kaci Alderson. The Chartiers-Houston freshman was born to play softball.
See, her father, Dan, excelled in baseball. Her mother, Tricia, starred as a pitcher. They were high school sweethearts at Char-Houston, where they both work as educators today.
So obviously, Alderson said, “My parents kind of got me into softball.”
They didn’t force her and they didn’t make her pitch, when she decided in third grade she didn’t like that position.
“It really wasn’t my thing,” Alderson explained. “Luckily, (my parents) let me stay in the field.”
Lucky too, Tricia and Dan Alderson are understanding managers as well. They coach the Chartiers-Houston High School softball team.
“It’s not always easy to be the coaches’ kid,” said Tricia Alderson. “We expect a lot of her but she also expects a lot from herself. She often has another practice after our regular practice to work on hitting, fielding, whatever it is that she needs to do to get better.”
One couldn’t have had a better season than Alderson. She put up MVP numbers in her first year playing varsity. During the regular season, she batted .625. She hit safely in every game but the last one where she was walked and hit by a pitch. She batted .690 in section play. She struck out only twice in the regular season and owned a 1.054 slugging percentage.
On the year, Alderson led the Bucs in on-base percentage (.612), hits (42), and RBI (37). She scored 32 runs and walked eight times, ranking second and third on the team respectively.
“As a freshman, she had an immediate impact on our team,” Tricia Alderson said. “Despite only being a freshman and hitting in the middle of the order, she handled the pressure well, providing many big hits in key situation throughout the season, including the playoffs.”
Alderson had a walk-off homer in a nine-inning, 7-6, victory against Mohawk in the WPIAL playoffs. She had seven hits in the post-season. She also drove in three and scored three runs as the Bucs reached the PIAA semifinals. Char-Houston finished 18-5 after falling to South Side Beaver.
Defensively, she played her best in the playoffs. She committed only one error in six games while fielding many opportunities at shortstop.
“The bottom line for Kaci is that she just wants to win,” said Tricia Alderson. “She is super competitive in everything she does and just wants the team to succeed. She has grown up watching our teams win championships, and we know this is something she is striving for as well.”
Alderson has had a taste of that type of success on the AAU level. Her team, the Lady Knights, won a national title at the 14-and-under level.
“My team is pretty good,” Alderson admitted, “but hopefully we can do well in high school, too. I feel like my freshman year has gone really well but hopefully we make it to some WPIALs and go to states. I have high expectations for my teams because we work so well together.”
Off the diamond, Alderson works hard to excel in other areas of her life. She owned a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. She belongs to SADD, Leo Club and Student Government. And, she plans to go to college and pursue a career in law.
Alderson, though, wants to play as long as she can. She hopes to earn a scholarship. So far, Ashland University and West Virginia Wesleyan have gained Alderson’s attention.
“Ashland is looking at me and they have a really good political science program,” she said. “I’ve also looked at West Virginia Wesleyan a little bit.
“But my goal is to play in college. I don’t care the division. I just hope that the school likes me and I like the school and campus. I just hope I am happy playing wherever I am.”
Alderson’s parents are delighted the next three seasons are right here at home at Chartiers-Houston.
“We are really proud of Kaci as both her coaches and her parents and know she will continue to work hard to improve all parts of her game over the next three seasons,” they said. “We are looking forward to having her and see how she continues to grow and develop.”
While there indeed is room for improvement, there is not much room for growth as Alderson has already reached the pinnacle. She has been named 2017 Almanac MVP for girls’ softball.
NOTE: The Almanac Diamond Dozen All-Stars were selected with the help of area managers. Their survey, statistics and games seen by the sports staff were all taken into consideration in compiling the all-star squad.