By Angie Ledbetter

South Panola fastpitch player Amanda Ivy has been selected to play in the 2012 Triple Crown Sports Rising Stars All-American Game. The game will be played Friday January 6 at 3:30 p.m. at the Plantation Central Park Sports Complex in Plantation, Fla.

Ivy, a junior, has been playing fastpitch softball for eight years —five years at South Panola. She played for the Blue Angels traveling team for one year.

She plays various positions including catcher, shortstop and outfield, but was invited to participate for the primary position as an outfielder and secondary position as utility player.

Triple Crown Sports Rising Stars is an ASA sanctioned event and promotes amateur fastpitch softball players.  This is the 18th year for the Rising Stars Showcase Event and it gives the players the opportunity to be seen by college recruiters and to be a part of the Triple Crown Rising Stars televised game atmosphere. Though the All-American Game will not be televised, the players will play alongside the televised game.

All players who participate in the game are invited to travel to New York City in July 2012 to play with the Triple Crown USA Team.

“Ivy works very hard to be a great softball player,” said Lady Tiger head coach Ashleigh Hicks. “I think this is a great accomplishment that she should be very proud of. We are all very excited for her and this opportunity. She’ll go and represent Batesville well.”

She is the daughter of Pamela Ivy.