Union County is the team to beat, but watch out for Summerville, Hartsville, Wren and Boiling Springs.
2016 South Carolina Preseason Softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard
1. Union County (Union)2015 Record: 30-2
Coach: Tommy Petty
Senior pitcher Payton Martin and shortstop Dexlie Inman highlight Union's bid for a third-straight 3A title. Union County swept Hartsville for a second straight year to claim the title.
Martin finished 21-0 with a 0.79 ERA and recorded 121 strikeouts in 133 innings to lead the Yellow Jackets. She earned Region III-3A Player of the Year and all-state honors as a result of her junior season. She also was the Herald-Journal/GoUpstate Preps Softball Player of the Year.
Inman has picked up SCHL All State honors in her previous three seasons. Also returning are Hannah Sailors, Cee Cee Mormon (Claflin), Ashley Vinson, and Katelyn Petty.
See last season's South Carolina softball computer rankings2. Summerville2015 Record: 30-5
Coach: Heather Tucker
Summerville will be led by pitcher Summer Jenkins and catcher Taylor Belfiore. They have signed with College of Charleston and have their sights set on bettering last season's school-record 30 wins — and going out with a 4A State title.
Jenkins pitched 154 innings and posted a 30-5 record (0.89 ERA). Two seasons ago, Jenkins led Summerville in home runs (10) and runs batted in (36) while hitting .392 with 12 doubles. She is a two-time LowCountry Player of the Year.
Belfiore was tabbed All-State, All-Region and All-LowCountry in 2015 while also being named Region Player of the Year. Last season, Belfiore had team-high seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
Going into her senior season, Belfiore has recorded 22 home runs and 109 RBIs throughout her career. Also returning are Anna Gluhosky (Coker signee), and infielders Bradie Rossa and Brittany Olean.
See last season's South Carolina softball photo galleries3. Hartsville2015 Record: 28-3 (state runner-up)
Coach: Jamie Horton (first year head coach, 8th year with program)
Success starts with senior pitcher Cayla Drotar, who has been receiving All-State honors in high school for five years. She has been State Coaches Player of the Year, State Gatorade Player of the Year and in 2015 she led the Red Foxes (28-3) to the Class 3A state championship series. Last season, Drotar posted a 21-3 record and a 0.68 ERA, batted .635, hit 14 home runs and drove in 62 teammates. She struck out 209 batters in 143 innings (allowing just 48 hits). A three-time MaxPreps Underclass All-American, Drotar has signed with South Carolina and would like nothing more than to go out with a state title. Hartsville last won the 3A State title in 2012.
Also returning are senior Jaclyn Ponder and sophomores Taylor Watford, Keta Joyner and Myra McDonald. Eighth-grader Blaze MacArthur is expected to contribute.
See last season's South Carolina softball playoff brackets4. Wren (Piedmont)2015 Record: 27-5
Coach: Lynn Hicks
Top returnees include junior pitcher Ashley Collins (24-4, 1.35 ERA), sophomore Savannah Huff (.474, 34 RBIs, 7 HR), junior Madison King (.318), sophomore Olivia Smith (.306) and Emma Collins.
See last season's South Carolina softball stat leaders5. Boiling Springs (Spartanburg)2015 Record: 27-4
Coach: Randy Piazza
The Bulldogs' success starts with senior pitcher McKenna Quinn (Elon), who was selected as the 4A Region Player of the Year in 2015. Logan Webb (Winthrop) will contribute, but the team strength will be Quinn. As she goes, so go the Bulldogs.
Two newcomers — Grace McKinney and Emma Williams — will help immediately.
