MaxPreps 2014 Underclass All-American Softball Teams

Freshmen

Jenna Ergle of Sumiton Christian (Ala.) might only be a freshman, but no one has produced runs like she did in leading Sumiton Christian to a 48-14-1 record in 2014.

Ergle drove in 127 runs to obliterate the state record of 99. She is the first player in Alabama prep softball annals to drive in more than 100 runs in a single season and she is the MaxPreps National High School Freshman Softball Player of the Year.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, Ergle's RBI total is also an all-time national best. The previous record was 105 by Kelly Kennedy of Light and Life Christian Academy (Taylor, Mich.) set in 1999.

In leading Sumiton Christian to a third-place Class A finish, Ergle also hit 24 home runs, which according to NHFS ties her for second with Holly Curry of Pisgay (Ala.) in 2001 and Erica Martinez of Ft. Madison (Iowa) in 1999.

Not surprisingly, Ergle's 24 homers are the most in a single season by a freshman. It wasn't just Ergle's ability to drive in runs and hit the long ball that was noticeable. She batted .534, scored 76 runs, had 95 hits, 23 doubles, four triples and received 21 walks.

Not satisfied with being named Alabama's Class A Hitter of the year, as a pitcher she also recorded a 23-10 record, 1.64 ERA, with eight shutouts and in 200 innings she had 156 strikeouts.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) took note of her success when they named her the Class 1A Player of the Year, Hitter of the Year and first-team All-State pitcher.

According to coach Jessica Aderholt, Ergle's success came against a schedule that included the best teams in the state regardless of classification.

P - Lainey Stephenson, Veritas Prep (Phoenix)
Certainly don't call her a first-year player, not after Stephenson won 27 games with a 0.23 ERA and struck out 381 in 154 innings. She allowed just 39 hits. Her lone loss was to eventual state champion San Manuel (in the state semifinals). She also batted .622 with 61 base hits and drove in 42 runs. She had a base hit in all but one game.

P - Maddy Dwyer, Orange Lutheran (Calif.)
Dwyer pitched in arguably one of the toughest leagues anywhere and posted a 17-5 record and batted .385, with 21 RBIs in 30 games.

P - Kennedy DeMatteis, Moniteau (West Sunbury, Pa.)
DeMatteis batted .685 and had 50 hits, 35 RBIs and was 16-1 as a pitcher. She struck out 142 in 100 innings and compiled a 2.31 ERA. She had one more base hit than her sister, who also made the Freshman All-American team.

P - Mariah Nichols, Lone Oak (Texas)
Nichols was 32-6 with 291 strikeouts and hit 17 doubles and seven homers. She has committed to Memphis.

P - Miriam Schmoll, Bayshore (Bradenton, Fla.)
The Bradenton Herald's All-Area Softball Player of the Year, Schmoll compiled a 16-4 record while striking out 211 batters in 132 innings (1.21 ERA). And Schmoll had a .444 batting average, 30 RBIs and five homers as Bayshore finished 23-5.

P - Megan Brown, Dupo (Ill.)
Brown led her team to the 2A Super-Sectionals. She went 28-5 with 279 strikeouts in 194 innings. Hit .482 with three home runs and 35 RBIs.

P - Victoria Guzman, Lincoln (San Jose, Calif.)
She batted .536, but her thing was pitching – 22-4, with 200 strikeouts and 1.52 ERA in 106 innings.

P - Kenna Wilkey, Reed-Custer (Braidwood, Ill.)
Wilkey hit the spotlight when she shut down defending Class 2A champ Bishop McNamara for a regional title and followed it up with a 23-strikeout performance in a sectional semifinal triumph. For the year, Wilkey posted a 1.77 ERA and fanned 384 batters in 193 1/3 innings. She also had an 11-inning no-hitter.

P - Sam Pochop, Rancho (Las Vegas)
Named the Silver State D-1 Pitcher of the Year, Pochop was 15-3 with a 1.02 ERA and struck out 214 in 116 innings.

P - Natalie Lugo, South Hills (West Covina, Calif.)
The only freshman on the all-area first-team was arguably the area's best pitcher and is already verbally committed to NCAA champion Florida. She earned Sierra League first-team honors, finishing 16-6 with a 0.98 ERA with 197 strikeouts in 150 innings. She also helped the Huskies reach the D-2 playoffs.

C - Taylor Johnson, Beecher (Ill.)
Johnson opened her high school career with an assault on the IHSA record book with 18 homers (sixth-most in a single season). She also drove in 68 runs and batted .598 with 11 doubles and five triples.

C - Kylee Leonhardt, West Lincoln (Lincolnton, N.C.)
Leonhardt hit .602 with 56 RBIs and 11 home runs as West Lincoln finished 22-4. Her batting average ranks among the top 20 in N.C. history.

C - Kristina DeMatteis, Moniteau (West Sunbury, Pa.)
DeMatteis had a base hit in every game and finished with 49 and a .662 batting average. She drove in 31 RBIs and in 16 games had two or more hits.

C - Lauren Burke, Marist (Eugene, Ore.)
Burke had 68 base hits, scored 45 times and stole 32 bases. She had a base hit in all but one game and compiled a .978 fielding percentage. She had multi-hit games 23 times.

C - Danielle Romanello, Canterbury (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Romanello helped led the Crusaders to a 22-6 record as she batted .575 with 23 extra base hits and 34 RBIs. She has committed to Florida.

IF - Hali Jester, Foreman (Ark.)
One of two outstanding freshmen on the Gators (the other is Kylie Cowen), Jester batted .549, drove in 42 and hit 20 doubles.

IF - Rachel Holland, Pearce (Richardson, Texas)
Holland made a quick impact on Texas softball when she batted .741 with 43 hits and 39 RBIs in 23 games. She also posted a 0.63 ERA and a 14-2 record. In addition, she struck out 152 and allowed just 29 base hits.

IF - Reese Guevarra, Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.)
Guevarra set the table for 31-2 IMHA with a .505 batting average, 46 runs and 32 RBIs.

IF - Kacy Noland, Pickens County (Reform, Ala.)
In leading Pickens County to a 23-9 record, Noland batted .689 with a dozen homers, 22 doubles and 43 RBIs.

IF - Taylor Bump, Canterbury (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Bump, who committed to Michigan, helped the Crusaders win two straight Class 2A state titles. This past season, Bump hit .557 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs.

IF - Alyssa Kumiyama, Gahr (Cerritos, Calif.)
Kumiyama had a .989 fielding percentage and added 11 homers and 36 RBIs.

IF - Malia Quarles, Gahr (Cerritos, Calif.)
Like her frosh teammate Kumiyama, Quarles hit 11 homers. She also batted .464, with 36 RBIs, 37 runs and had 22 extra base hits.

OF - Taylon Snow, Chino Hills (Calif.)
Snow tied a CIF Southern Section record with 72 hits and batted .567 for a team that reached the CIF-SS D-2 semifinals. Snow, who has committed to Washington, reached base 78 times and scored 39 runs in 34 games. She had multi-hit games in the team's last 16 games, including all four playoff games. Snow also hit five homers with 24 RBIs.

OF - Alexa Allen, Leo (Ind.)
With Allen hitting .679 and a state-record 76 hits, Leo was 27-6 and won the state 3A title. She also drove in a state-best 51 runs.

OF - Karlee Sparacino, Alhambra (Martinez, Calif.)
Already committed to Oregon, the freshman standout was the Bulldogs' top hitter with a .618 average. She had 48 hits, 36 runs and 28 RBIs.

OF - Alyse Rojas, Vacaville (Calif.)
Rojas scored 38 times, stole 16 bases and batted a team-high .516 for the CIF-SJS D1 champion.

OF - Brittany Jackson, Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas)
Playing in a district that included 4A state runner-up Ennis and state-ranked Mansfield Legacy, Jackson had one of the best individual seasons, hitting .553, scoring 41 runs and driving in 25. She stole 25 bases and had a slugging percentage of .776.

OF - Mikayla Coelho, Tracy (Calif.)
In 27 games, Coelho accounted for 74 runs (40 RBIs) and had 44 hits (.530 average). She has committed to California.

U - Kylie Cowan, Foreman (Ark.)
Cowan batted .518, had 39 RBIs, stole 45 bases and scored 52 runs as Foreman went 31-4 to capture the state 2A title.

U - Adriana (Chloe) Romero, Academy of Careers & Exploration (Helendale, Calif.)
Romero was a sensation pitching and hitting as ACE went 26-1 and won the CIF D-7 final. In the circle, Romero was 18-1, with 1.17 ERA, 200 strikeouts (114 inning). She also stole 22 bases, batted .475 with 48 hits, 44 RBIs, 24 extra base hits and scored 57 times.

U - Allison Zimmerman, Christian Academy of Knoxville (Tenn.)
Zimmerman led her team deep in the state playoffs with a 29-5 record and drove in 51 runs with 55 hits and batted .451.

U - Hatti Moore, La Grange (Texas)
Moore was clutch for La Grange en route to its 40-2 season and state 3A title as she drove in 47 runs and batted .421 with 26 extra base hits. She committed just two errors (.990 fielding percentage) and stole 16 bases.