An unprecedented eight teams dropped out of the MaxPreps Top 25 national softball rankings and more are expected this week as several highly ranked teams are headed for showdowns.
Highlighting the list of Top 25 newcomers are Lincoln Way Central (New Lenox, Ill.), Mt. Pleasant (Pa.), St. Joseph's (Trumbull, Conn.), Apopka (Fla.), Shadow Ridge (Las Vegas), Richland (Wash.), and Angleton (Texas). Mt. Pleasant, Richland and St. Joseph's all are unbeaten.
Also new to the Top 25 this week is previously ranked Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, Calif.).
Video: Top 25 softball rankingsSee this week's movement as playoff action heats up. This week's shakeup did not impact the top five where Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.) remained unbeaten and No. 1, followed closely by Norco (Calif.) and No. 3 Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.). Norco closed out its season last week by repeating as the California Interscholastic Federation's Southern Section D1 champion. The Cougars, ranked No. 1 much of the season, finished at 31-1.
This week's spotlight will be on Florida's 8A state tournament where No. 1 Lakewood Ranch and No. 4 Winters Springs, both 29-0, could meet Friday in the state finals. But both need to win semifinal games first.
In the Texas 5A playoffs, No. 13 Barber's Hill (Mt. Belvieu) takes on No. 25 Angleton.
The biggest mover of the week was St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) which jumped from No. 24 to No. 14.
Texas has five teams ranked in the Top 25, followed by Florida with four and California with three.
Prospect of the Week: It's been quite a month for
Shannon Becker
of
Mahopac (N.Y.). The six-foot sophomore has pitched seven games with six
wins. She has pitched four one-hitters and a no-hitter. In the no-hitter
over Carmel, she struck out all 21 batters she faced. All total for May,
Becker has struck out 122 batters in 42 innings. She has 315 strikeouts
in 134 innings this season.
Game of the Week: Maine unbeatens Thornton Academy (Saco) and Scarborough meet in a Region 13 showdown on Monday.
Game
to Watch: Marist (Eugene, Ore.) versus Ontario in the first round of the
Oregon state 4A tournament. Eyes are on Marist's
Ariel Carlson (Oregon signee)
who is closing in on the national high school record for career home runs at 75.
Streaks: Keystone (La Grange, Ohio) extended
its winning streak to 60 games. Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.) has
won seven straight state softball titles.
Tournament of the Week:
Florida 8A where No. 1 Lakewood Ranch and No. 4 Winter Springs are both
29-0 and on opposite brackets with the semifinals slated for Thursday.
If they both win, they play for state gold on Friday.
MaxPreps Top 25 softball rankings
The Mustangs recorded run-rule wins over East Lake (Tarpon Springs) and Sickles to move to the state 8A semifinals.
Taylor Woodring homered and junior pitchers
Claire Davidson and
Brooklyn Lucero combined to limit 27-2 East Lake to four hits in a four-inning, 10-0, playoff victory. Davidson and
Avery Goelz homered in the 12-0 win over Sickles. Up next: 19-6-1 Cooper on Thursday.
2. (2) Norco (Calif.), 31-1The Cougars defeated Great Oak, 2-0, as
Sarah Willis tossed a three-hitter and struck out eight. It was Norco's fifth CIF SS D1 title in 10 years and second straight.
3. (3) Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.), 25-0The Falcons recorded wins over Napa, 11-1, and Mt. Eden, 12-0, to move into the semifinals of the North Coast Section D1 tournament to be played on Wednesday. A victory gets the Heritage (Brentwood)-California (San Ramon) winner on Saturday.
The Bears edged Hagerty (Oviedo), 4-3, and routed Wellington, 13-0, to move into the state 8A semis. In defeating Hagerty for the third time this season, the Bears got two RBI each from
Briana Driscoll and
Kennedi Gaton. Driscoll had four hits and two RBI in the five-inning rout of 25-3 Wellington. Up Next: 25-4 Oak Leaf (Orange Park) on Thursday.
5. (5) Male (Louisville, Ky.), 31-0The Bulldogs picked up six wins last week to conclude the regular season undefeated. And in two of the wins, 4-2 over Scott County (Georgetown, KY) and 3-2 over County Christian (Hopkinsville, KY), they came from behind to win as they got timely home runs from freshman
Jaelyn Sanders.
6. (7) Keller (Texas), 33-3-1The Indians have 23 wins in a row after sweeping Friendswood, 7-3 and 11-3. The wins move the Indians to the 6A regional finals on Saturday versus 21-2 Wylie.
7. (8) Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, Fla.), 27-1The Panthers needed just three innings to collect 14 hits in routing Pompano, 19-0. In a 10-4 win over Key West, they recorded 16 hits (four from junior
Cassidy Crump). The Panthers have won 26 straight. Up Next: the state 5A semifinals on Thursday against 27-3 Hernando (Brooksville).
8. (9) Klein Collins (Spring, Texas), 35-2The Tigers got RBI from
Mia Cantu,
Renata Boyd and
Kenedy Hines in scoring three times in the bottom of the seventh to beat Belton 3-2 in the first game of the best-of-three quarterfinal playoffs. They also got stellar relief from Hines in the 4-1 second-game win to move into the 6A regional finals. In their seven playoff wins, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 57-6. Next Up: 21-2 Wylie.
9. (10) Oshkosh North (Oshkosh, Wis.), 25-0The Spartans closed out the regular season with a pair of wins (2-1 over crosstown rival West and 15-0 over Neenah). They open state D1 tournament play on Thursday.
10. (11) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 24-0Keystone ran its two-year win streak to 57 as senior
Sydney Campbell pitched a three-hitter and a one-hitter in wins over Firelands (Oberlin) and Holy Names (Parma Heights). Campbell combined to strike out 26 in the two games, and has recorded 17 shutouts this season.
11. (12) Marist (Chicago), 31-2The Redhawks concluded their regular season by winning their 30th-straight game.
12. (19) Katy (Texas), 26-2The Tigers routed Ridge Point (Missouri City) 10-0 to advance to the state 6A regional semifinals versus 33-5 Deer Park. Katy has won 23.
13. (20) Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), 40-2The Eagles face 35-1 Angleton this weekend in the state 5A regional finals.
14. (24) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 20-0The Lancers open state tournament play on Thursday.
15. (16) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 33-2Claimed their seventh straight Class 5A state championship Tuesday with a 17-1 game-two win over Wayne County. The Rockets won the first game Monday on Tori Henderson's walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh for the 4-3 victory.
16. (21) Hartsville (S.C.), 29-0The Red Foxes got five hits and five RBI from sophomore
Kaitlyn Yarbrough in recording a pair of one-run wins over Palmetto to win the state 4A softball championship and finish unbeaten.
17. (NR) Lincoln-Way Central (New Lenox, Ill.), 30-2Four pitchers have combined for a 0.97 ERA and 260 strikeouts in 187 innings as the Knights have 23 straight wins. They have a dozen shutouts during the streak.
18. (NR) Mt. Pleasant (Pa.), 17-0Carolyn Alincic (Morehead State signee) and
Mary Smithnosky are giving Vikings opponents fits. The pitching duo has allowed just a dozen runs and have combined for a 0.78 ERA. They're averaging 1.7 strikeouts per inning. Smithnosky is also the team's leading hitter with a .554 average.
19. (NR) St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.), 21-0Junior
Payton Doiron is 18-0 and
Charlee Horton has homered eight times to lead the unbeaten Cadets into the postseason.
20. (NR) Apopka (Fla.), 27-1The Blue Darters have won 14 in a row and face 27-3 Park Vista (Lake Worth) on Thursday in the state 9A semifinals. Junior
Nyah Vogel leads Apopka with a 17-1 and a 0.71 ERA, while freshman
Jesiana Mora is hitting .539 with 54 stolen bases.
21. (NR) Shadow Ridge (Las Vegas), 31-2Junior pitcher
Jasmine Martin led the Mustangs to a 13-3, five-inning victory over Coronado and their first state championship.
22. (NR) Richland (Wash.), 23-0Led by UNLV commit
Kaylie Northrop, the Bombers have allowed 41 runs and one run or less 15 times this season. They open state tournament play on Friday vs. 17-6 Glacier Peak (Snohomish).
23. (NR) Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, Calif.), 29-4Heading into the CIF-San Diego Section D1 championship on Thursday, UCLA signee
Lexi Sosa is heating up. She has won her last 13 starts and is hitting .460 with 11 home runs.
24. (25) West Stanly (Oakboro, N.C.), 24-0The Colts beat Madison, 3-1, to move into the semifinals of the state 2A championship tournament. They face 23-2 Franklin, winners of 13 straight.
25. (NR) Angleton (Texas), 35-1The Ladycats take on No. 13 Barbers Hill on Wednesday in the state 5A regional finals.
Dropped out: Clarksville (Tenn.),
Pinnacle (Phoenix),
East Lake (Tarpon Springs, Fla.),
Dripping Springs (Texas),
Warren East (Bowling Green, Ky.),
Hallettsville (Texas),
Fairhope (Ala.),
Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho).
On the Bubble: Trenton (Fla.), 26-0;
Lakota East (Liberty Township, Ohio), 28-1;
Oakdale (Calif.), 25-0-1;
Notre Dame (Crowley, La.), 33-0;
Hoover (Clendenin, W. Va.), 32-1;
Rose Bud (Ark.), 34-1;
Holy Cross (Louisville, Ky.), 32-3;
Decatur Central (Indianapolis), 24-1;
Huntingtown (Md.), 20-1;
West (Salt Lake City), 21-1;
Poland Seminary (Poland, Ohio), 22-0; and
D.H. Conley (Greenville, N.C.), 25-1.
