MaxPreps 2017 Missouri preseason high school softball Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard

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1. Strafford
Head coach: Dale Bean
2016 record: 20-1

The Indians return four co-captains, including ace Zoey Mullings, who went 19-1 last season with a 1.68 ERA. She also hit .533 with 32 hits, 30 RBIs and stole eight bases. The other co-captains are seniors, shortstop Brooke Bishop, catcher Samantha Gott and second baseman Rilie Vote. Strafford outscored opponents 218-41 last season, but finished the season with a 13-9 loss to Mt. Vernon after beating the Mountaineers twice during the season. Bishop hit .455 last season with nine doubles, two triples and two homers. Gott hit .345 and Vote hit .370.

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2. Mt. Vernon
Head coach: Matt Schubert
2016 record: 23-7

The Mountaineers piled up 300 runs last season – exactly 10 per game – and hit almost .400 as a squad. Four girls hit over .400 and nine of 10 regulars batted over .300. Mt. Vernon hopes to pick up right where it left off last year, with seven straight wins, including 10-0 over Stockton to finish things off.

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3. Kennett
Head coach: Kevin McCaig
2016 record: 20-7 With 16 underclassmen off last year's squad, including nine sophomores and four freshmen, McCaig has a lot to look forward to over at least the next two seasons. The Indians outscored opponents 218-75 last season and should return ace pitcher Madi Parr, who went 10-5 with a 2.74 ERA as a sophomore last year. Catcher Hannah Criswell hit a team-best .506 with 41 hits and 39 RBIs last season as well.

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4. Leopold
Head coach: Keenan Kinder
2016 record: 14-3

The Wildcats lost just three seniors off last year's squad and return a strong nucleus that outscored opponents 222-49 while averaging better than 13 runs per game. They should return one of the top freshmen in the state from last year, catcher Patience Vandermierden, who hit .404 with 21 hits, 33 RBIs and 24 runs.

See last season's MaxPreps Missouri softball stat leaders

5. College Heights Christian (Joplin)
Head coach: Phillip Jordan
2016 record: 16-7

The Cougars lost one of the state's top hitters in Nevada Moenning (.507, 27 RBIs) to graduation, but return a strong core led by Kylee Friend, who hit .370 last season, and sophomore Courtney Bates (.299, 20 hits and 29 runs). Jordan carried six sophomores and seven freshmen on his roster last season so the future looks extremely bright.