It’s been a memorable week for Shady Spring catcher Parker Redden.
The recent graduate was named a Class AA first-team all-stater on Wednesday and on Thursday he added another accolade.
Redden was named the West Virginia recipient of the Johnny Bench Award, an honor bestowed to the best high school softball and baseball catchers in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia as well as the top softball and baseball catchers at the NCAA level.
The award was expanded to include high schoolers in 2019 and is selected by an awards committee that seeks the input of local media in each state.
Redden, a University of Delaware signee who is playing with the Burlington Sock Puppets in the Appalachian League this summer, hit .373 with nine doubles, a home run and 39 RBIs. He also threw out 18 baserunners this past season.
Parkersburg’s Emily Allen won the award in softball.
All 10 winners will be invited to Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 20 for an awards luncheon at Great American Ball Park which will be followed by a pregame ceremony prior to the Cincinnati Reds’ scheduled game against the New York Mets that night.
