MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

As more teams opened the 2014 season, some things looked a lot like 2013, as the top three teams opened their seasons with dominating pitching performances.

No. 1 Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.) got a pair of shutout pitching efforts and No. 2 Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) has allowed just three runs in five wins.

Not to be outdone, Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.) got a no-hitter and 16 strikeouts from Johanna Grauer to open the season.

There was little change to this week's Top 25, as only one team fell from the rankings. No. 9 Pelham (Ala.) lost twice, including 6-1 to Hillcrest (Tuscaloosa, Ala.). As a result, Hillcrest moved into the Top 25 at No. 18.

St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) moved into the top 10 along with unbeatens Mountain Ridge (Glendale, Ariz.), Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) and Basha (Chandler, Ariz.). Top 10 teams Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), Hoover (North Canton, Ohio) and Northern (Owings, Md.) have yet to open play in 2014.


1. (No. 1 last week) Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), 2-0
Pacifica opened the season with a pair of wins behind the pitching of Kaylee Carlson and Kaley Winegarner, who combined to give up just four hits and strike out 17 in wins over Granada Hills (Calif.) and Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.). Next up is the Mojave Tournament of Champions on Thursday.

2. (2) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 5-0
Central defeated St. Stephens (Hickory, N.C.) by an 8-1 score, Lincoln Charter (Denver, N.C.), 12-2, and Marvin Ridge (Waxhaw, N.C.), 1-0. The Cougars host Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.) Tuesday.

3. (3) Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), 1-0
The Dons opened the season with a 6-0 win over Deer Valley (Antioch, Calif.) as Johanna Grauer pitched a no-hitter, walked one and struck out 16. Malory Masajlo had two hits and drove in three runs. The Dons host Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.) on Thursday in the Queen of the Mountain Invite.

4. (4) Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), 0-0 (44-0)
Greenwood, riding a 44-game winning streak, opens the season March 15 hosting Bullitt Central (Shepherdsville, Ky.).

5. (5) Mountain Ridge (Glendale, Ariz.), 8-0
Ridge scored two runs in the bottom of the 10th to beat Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.), 6-5, and run its win streak to eight in a row. Up next is North Canyon (Phoenix).

6. (6) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 1-0
Desiree Severance pitched a three-hitter and struck out 12 as Mitty opened the season with an 8-0 win over Pioneer (San Jose, Calif.). Mitty visits Leland (San Jose, Calif.) on Tuesday.

7. (7) Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 0-0 (34-0)
Hoover brings a 34-game winning streak into the season.

8. (8) Basha (Chandler, Ariz.), 6-0
The Bears, who are batting .428 and averaging more than 10 runs per game, host No. 25 Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.) on March 18.

9. (11) St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 9-0
The Raiders are doing it all during their nine-game winning streak in which they have allowed just one run. Gwen Svekis is hitting .706 and has 12 RBIs and pitchers Meghan King, Olivia Saviskas and Katie Behm have combined to allow just 12 hits this season. They host South Broward (Hollywood, Fla.) on Tuesday.

10. (10) Northern (Owings, Md.), 0-0 (23-0)
Northern won its sixth-straight 3A state title in 2013 and will enter the 2014 season with a 79-game winning streak. Northern's opener is March 21 at Huntingtown (Md.).

11. (12) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 3-0
The Diablos have blanked all three of their opponents this season. They host Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) on Tuesday.

12. (13) Harmony (Fla.), 11-0
The Longhorns are batting over .400 and have stolen 38 bases and have yet to lose. Aleshia Ocasio has 91 strikeouts in 45 innings to go along with an 0.16 ERA. The Longhorns face Osceola (Kissimmee, Fla.) on Tuesday.

13. (14) Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.), 5-0
The Aztecs opened the season with three lopsided wins, then edged Huntington Beach (Calif.) and Cypress (Calif.), 2-1. Norwalk visits the Aztecs on Thursday.

14. (15) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 3-0
The Monarchs host Cerritos (Calif.) on Tuesday.

15. (16) Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), 13-0
Having committed just six errors in 13 games, the Eagles are batting .410 as a team with eight batters hitting .371 or higher. Randi Rupp is 12-0 and has yet to allow an earned run. She has 118 strikeouts in 57 innings.

16. (17) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 1-0
Curtis beat Belle Chasse (La.) for its 66th win in its last 67 games.

17. (18) Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas), 16-1
The Bobcats lost to No. 15 Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), then bounced back to blank Cypress Lakes (Katy, Texas) and Cy-Ridge (Houston). Cy-Fair visits Langham Creek (Houston) on Tuesday.

18. (NR) Hillcrest (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), 5-0
The Patriots proved they are for real with wins over Vestavia Hills and previously ranked Pelham (Ala.). They host Hueytown (Ala.) on Tuesday.

19. (19) Bloom-Carroll (Carroll, Ohio), 0-0 (30-3)
B-C opens the season April 1 at Centerville (Ohio).

20. (20) Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas), 14-1
Kayla Ober is 13-1 with a 1.35 ERA as Cinco Ranch picked up a pair of one-run wins last week. Up next is Fort Bend Christian Academy (Sugar Land, Texas).

21. (21) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 0-0 (29-2)
The Lancers won their third state title in four years in 2013 and look better this season. Their opener is March 19 at Immaculata (Somerville, N.J.).

22. (22) Olathe East (Kan.), 0-0 (24-1)
The Hawks are favored to repeat as Kansas 6A state champions.

23. (23) P.K. Yonge (Gainesville, Fla.), 11-0
Led by Kalen McGill, who is 11-0 and allowed just 30 hits in those games, P.K. Yonge has won 11 straight. McGill is also batting .484 with 18 RBIs. Sophomore Kaitlyn Burke is batting .600. Yonge visits Fort White (Fla.) on Tuesday.

24. (24) Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 0-0 (31-2)
The state runner-up opens its season April 1 at Paramus Catholic (N.J.).

25. (25) Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 7-1
Since losing to Gilbert, Horizon has won five straight, outscoring its opponents 45-4. The T-Wolves travel to Camelback (Phoenix) on Thursday.

Dropped Out: Pelham (Ala.)