MaxPreps 2017 South Carolina preseason high school softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

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1. Byrnes (Duncan)
2016 record: 30-4, state 4A runner up
Head coach: Brandi Aiken

The difference between 34-0 in 2016 and 30-4 was five runs. The Rebels lost three games by one run, the last two to Stratford (Goose Creek) in the state tournament finals (3-2 and 2-1). While the twin one-run losses to end last season stung, the Rebels appear well positioned to be as dominant, if not moreso in 2017. They lost only two starters and the pitching staff returns intact.

Byrnes was dominant in 2016 and won 17 games by shutout and allowed a single run in seven others. All told, the Rebels allowed just 42 runs (29 earned), and averaged 10 runs per game with a .408 batting average and 138 extra-base hits. Add to that 108 stolen bases and only 24 errors for a .955 fielding percentage. More is expected in 2017.

Key returnees are sophomore pitchers Kasey Widmyer (the USC-Upstate pledge was All-State, 13-2 with a 0.76 ERA, and averaged a strikeout per inning. She also batted .546), and Tatum Arboleda (the All-State pick batted .447 with 14 doubles, 22 RBIs and finished 17-2 with a 1.23 ERA). Other returnees of note are juniors Christa Whitesides (All-Region choice who batted .384 with 28 runs), Lander University pledge Haven Pesce (All-Region pick batted .431 with 17 doubles, 46 RBIs, 48 runs scored) and senior Parker Birch (All-Region pick who batted .393 with a .466 on-base percentage, four homers, four triples, 12 doubles, 31 RBIs and 41 runs scored). Birch, who has signed with Erskine College, will be the starting shortstop for the fifth-straight season. Also back are senior Kristina Poe (Mississippi University for Women signee), freshman catcher Ada Grace Smith and junior outfielders Christa Whitesides and Kassie Rimel, both expected to commit to colleges in the near future.

See the MaxPreps South Carolina softball computer rankings presented by the Army National Guard

2. Lugoff-Elgin (Lugoff)
2016 record: 29-5
Head coach: James Marlow

Riding the arm of pitcher Baleigh Lunsford, the Demons made it to the Class 4A Upper State championship game before losing to Byrnes. Lunsford went 25-4 with a 1.30 ERA and 161 strikeouts last year. She pitched a perfect game and threw a no-hitter against Dutch Fork to clinch the region title and one against Gaffney in the district title game. Lunsford, who also had several one-hitters, was an All-State selection and was named The State newspaper's Softball Player of the Year.

But Lunsford is just one of seven seniors who make the Demons legit challengers to Byrnes. Others include USC Upstate recruit Savannah Grigsby hit .458 with 10 doubles and stole 15 bases and Eastern Michigan signee Sophia Holland hit .413 with five homers and 30 RBIs. Add senior returnees Kelly Graham, Erica Rawl, Sydney Kull and Taylor Sinay and the Demons are loaded.

See the MaxPreps South Carolina softball stat leaderboards

3. Fort Mill
2016 record: 25-4
Head coach: Chuck Stegall Junior All-State pitcher Bella Roy (Winthrop commit) and catcher Lauren Collie (Mercer commit) return to a Yellowjackets team that lost only two senior starters from last year's 25-4 team (three of the losses were by one run). The batterymates put up big numbers as sophomores: Roy (a 2016 MaxPreps Sophomore All-American) struck out 276 in 149 innings and allowed just 62 base hits. She was 19-2 with a stingy 0.42 ERA. Collie batted .469 with 20 RBIs.

Also back are junior Marissa McDermott (team highs for batting at .471 and RBIs with 22) and sophomore Payton Lemire, who batted .338 and led the team with five home runs.

See the MaxPreps South Carolina softball photos

4. Union County (Union)
2016 record: 32-4
Head coach: Danny Galt

The Yellowjackets lost a pair of four-year starters from last year's team that won its first 26 games before losing. But pitchers Bailey Betenbaugh and Ashley Vinson return to give a high outlook for 2017.

Betenbaugh, a sophomore and South Carolina pledge, was All-Region after finishing with a 15-3 record, 1.04 ERA and struck out 124 in 114 innings. She also batted .331 with eight homers. Vinson, a senior, was also All-Region and finished 16-1 with a 0.86 ERA and struck out 103 in 105 innings. She also batted .415 with eight homers. All-State player Katelyn Petty is also back after a sophomore year in which she batted .522 with a .586 on-base percentage, 11 doubles, 39 RBIs and 51 runs scored.

See the MaxPreps South Carolina softball playoff brackets

5. North Augusta
2016 record: 22-4
Head coach: Gerald Brown

The pitching will be provided by USC-Aiken signee Caroline Cockrell (12-1, 0.79 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 88 innings) and South Carolina commit Karly Heath (8-1, 1.73 and 87 strikeouts in 56 innings). Opponents hit .144 against them and more of the same is expected in 2017.

Leading the offense will be Heath (10 homers, 44 RBIs, 23 stolen bases and a .500 batting average) and fellow classmate Shircoria Bosket (a .500 hitter with 27 RBIs and eight homers in 54 at-bats). Additional offense will come from Cockrell (who hit .326 as a junior) and seniors Grace Wallace (.315), and Bentley Brown (.305).