With spring officially upon us, action in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school softball rankings is heating up. A battle of nationally-ranked California teams helps kick off the season while No. 1
Chino Hills (Calif.) also takes the field this week.
No. 5
Norco (Calif.) and eighth-ranked
Los Alamitos (Calif.) square off Tuesday in a game full of talent. Expect
Stevie Hansen to be in the circle for the Cougars as the Oregon signee has struck out 178 batters in 101 innings of work. The Griffins, meanwhile, have one of the top lineups in the country with
Sophia Nugent (Oklahoma) and
Emma Sellers (South Carolina) among the SoCal power's returning big bats.
Fairhope (Ala.) is the lone newcomer to this week's rankings. The Pirates have won 15-straight as LSU commit
Alea Johnson is 5-0 in the circle with a 0.24 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched.
Stevie Hansen, Norco
File photo by Michael Pineda
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 1
Season opens March 25.
2. Leander (Texas)
Record: 22-0 | Last week: 2
Junior
Marley Neises has hit nine home runs for the undefeated Lions.
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 3
After off week, The Mustangs resume play on Thursday at home against Hardee.
4. Marist (Chicago)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 3
Season opens April 17.
5. Norco (Calif.)Record: 1-0 | Last week: 5
Stevie Hansen struck out 12 as the Cougars opened the season with an 8-0 win over Ramona.
6. Park Vista (Lake Worth, Fla.)
Record: 11-0
| Last week: 6
Junior
Illiana Hernandez is batting .407 with three home runs for the Cobras.
7. Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, Ala.)
Record: 18-1-1 | Last week: 7
The Huskies have a strong pitching rotation as four different pitchers have at least 15 innings of work.
8. Los Alamitos (Calif.)Record: 2-0 | Last week: 8
The Griffins scored 12 runs in two games but face No. 5 Norco next.
9. Trenton (Fla.)Record: 8-0 | Last week: 9
The Tigers have outscored opponents 67-13 in eight games.
10. Eastern Alamance (Mebane, N.C.)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 7
Season opens March 23.
11. Crown Point (Ind.)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 12
Season opens April 3.
12. Westlake (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 13
UC Santa Barbara commit
Daryn Siegel blasted two home runs in a 12-1 season-opening win.
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 14
Season opens April 5.
14. Gahr (Cerritos, Calif.)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 15
Season opens March 23.
15. Saugus (Calif.)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 16
Season opens March 31.
16. Warren (San Antonio)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 17
The Warriors have not allowed a run in the last seven games.
17. Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas)
Record: 20-2 | Last week: 18
The Eagles have rolled of 15-straight wins.
18. Sickles (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 19
Junior
Reese Wimberly is off to a hot start, batting .562 for the Gryphons.
Record: 17-0 | Last week: 20
20. Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 21
Auburn commit
Emmah Rolfe continues to show her dominance in the circle.
Record: 1-1 | Last week: 11
The Eagles drop this week after a 4-3 loss to Basha.
22. Glen Allen (Va.)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 22
Season opens April 13.
23. Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta, Calif.)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 23
Season opens April 15.
24. Williamsburg (Ohio)
Record: 0-0
| Last week: 24
Season opens March 22.
25. Fairhope (Ala.)
Record: 16-1
| Last week: NR
The Prates have 16 home runs as a team. Five players have hit two or more long balls.
On the bubble: Santa Fe (Texas);
Cooper City (Fla.);
Central (Phenix City, Ala.);
Barbe (Lake Charles, La.);
Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.)
