2016 Oregon Preseason Softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard
1. Putnam (Milwaukie)2015 record: 25-5
Head coach: Tiffany Strnad
Sarah Abramson, the State 5A Pitcher of the Year, returns and that sets the table nicely for the Kingsmen, who won their final 16 games in 2015. The defending 5A champs won four of their final five games by one run, including 3-2 over Pendleton, the 2012 and 2014 state champion. Abramson (Oregon Institute of Technology commit) pitched nine shutouts and allowed just one run in a game on seven occasions a year ago. Other returnees include all-staters
Tyler Creach (Western Oregon commit) and
Sydney Nichols, plus senior
Brooke Snyder. Eight other players return from the 2015 title team.
See last season's Oregon computer rankings 2. Westview (Portland)2015 record: 28-3
Head coach: Ronda Mckenzie
Four key seniors graduated, but 6A all-state pitcher
Abby Greer (Cal State East Bay commit) returns. Greer had a dominant junior season when she averaged almost two strikeouts per inning and pitched 10 shutouts as Westview finished as the 6A runner-up. In addition to Greer, key returnees will be
Jodeci Tuia (Mississippi Valley signee hit .427, .451 on-base, .412 slugging),
Jordin Lowman (Western Oregon commit) and all-stater
Natalie Munson. Include sophomore
Kelsey Day, who led the team with six homers, and a nucleus for a state title is reasonable. Nine others from last year also return.
See last season's Oregon softball photo galleries3. South Medford2015 record: 22-6
Head coach: Miranda-Gillespie-Smith
The Panthers lost four key seniors (including a pair of all-state picks) to graduation, but as long as junior lefthander
Pat Moore is healthy, they will compete with any team on any day. The DePaul commit averaged two strikeouts per inning as a sophomore and was a second-team 6A all-state and a first team all-league pick. She also batted more than .400. Despite Moore’s 16 strikeouts, the Panthers were knocked out of the state playoffs in the first round last year, 2-1, by underdog Reynolds. The Panthers want a better finish in 2016. All-league junior
Bailee Tatum also returns for the Panthers.
See last season's Oregon playoff brackets 4. McNary (Keizer)2015 record: 23-6
Head coach: Kevin Wise
The Celtics scored 10 or more runs on 19 occasions a year ago and during one stretch of 11-straight wins, averaged 14 runs per contest. Look for an offensive-minded team again this season. All-state outfielder
Kinsey McNaught (Whitworth signee) leads a list of nine Celtic returnees, including six starters. McNaught hit .500, had a .540 on-base percentage, scored 40 runs and stole 17 bases. Other key returnees are seniors
Madisen Oliver (Concordia-Portland, who hit .432 with 16 extra-base hits),
Nadia Witt,
Kelsi Christenson (Corban signee) and juniors
Hannah Carr and
Nicole Duran, plus sophomore
Haley Ebner.
See last season's Oregon softball stat leaders 5. Pendleton2015 record: 22-8
Head coach: Tim Cary
The Bucks hope to pick up where they left off in 2015, as winners of 16 of their final 17 games. The 17th, however, was a 3-2 loss to 5A state champion Putnam. Four of their eight 2015 losses were by one run. Though the roster will be younger in 2016, the Bucks, winners of the state 5A title in 2012 and 2014 and runner up in 2015, have reloaded. Look for a similar offense as last year's team that scored in double digits in 17 games. Leading the Bucks will be all-state seniors
Alexis Morrison (three-time all-state player who has signed with Portland State),
Ellie Richards (Notre Dame) and
Kiersten Murphy (Eastern Oregon University).
