MaxPreps 2014 Preseason All-American Softball Team

Led by a group of pitchers who combined to average two strikeouts per inning, the MaxPreps 2014 Preseason All-American Softball Team is as impressive as any which has come before it.

Heading up the list of pitchers are four who were unbeaten in 2013 — Jess Cummings of Northern (Owings, Md.), Katie Brignac of Curtis (River Ridge, La.), Tatum Buckley of Masuk (Monroe, Conn.) and Elizabeth Moss of Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.).

They are joined by Johanna Grauer (Amador Valley of Pleasanton, Calif.), Miranda Viramontes (Chino, Calif.), Allyson Frei (High Point of Sussex, N.J.), Samantha Show, Rachel Garcia (Highland of Palmdale, Calif.), Taran Alvelo (Bloom-Carroll, Ohio), Andrea Kindrick (Russellville, Ark.) and Allie Wallsjasper (Sierra of Menca, Calif.).

Cummings missed the 300-strikeout mark by two, finishing with 298 in 135 innings (an average of 2.2 per inning). The only run scored against Cummings last season was unearned. She shut out 21 of the 22 opponents she faced in 2013.

Show, Garcia, Alvelo, and Kindrick are juniors. Garcia, Show and Kindrick were Gatorade Player of the Year award winners for their states, and Show was MaxPreps' Sophomore Player of the Year after striking out 357 in 183 innings and winning 30 games. She also drove in 70 runs and belted 29 extra base hits, including 10 home runs.

Savannah Horvath (Centennial, Las Vegas), named Maxpreps Junior of the Year, leads this year's contingent of impressive infielders. In leading Centennial to the state title a year ago, Horvath knocked in a state-record tying 87 runs and batted .585 with 17 home runs in 42 games.

The four catchers named preseason All-Americans combined for 58 home runs and more than 200 RBIs.

The outfielders are led by Californian Alyssa Palomino (Mission Viejo), who has been compared to Oklahoma All-American Lauren Chamberlain. Palomino tied Chamberlain's Orange County home run record with 17 and still has two high school seasons remaining.

A pair of utility players from Arizona — Kelsey Smith (Empire, Tucson) and Ari Paulson (Payson) — round out the 2014 preseason team. They combined for 122 RBIs, 27 home runs, 263 strikeouts in 145 innings and a 29-3 win-loss record.

See below for the complete list of the best softball players in the country heading into the 2014 season.


P - Jess Cummings, Northern (Owings, Md.), Sr.
Last season the junior right-hander led the Patriots to MaxPreps' mythical national title and a third-straight unbeaten season. She was 22-0 with 21 shutouts and allowed only one run and it was unearned. Cummings posted 298 strikeouts in 135 innings pitched. She threw nine no-hitters, including two perfect games, and held opponents to a .041 batting average. She has committed to Penn State.

P - Katie Brignac, Curtis (River Ridge, La.), Sr.
Injured part of the season, Brignac finished 2013 impressively — 20-0 with 225 strikeouts, a 0.75 ERA, and a team-best .444 batting average. She was named the Times-Picayune Small Schools Pitcher of the Year. She has signed to play at Memphis.

P - Johanna Grauer, Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), Sr.
Last season Grauer was 22-2 with a 0.08 ERA with only two earned runs given up and 39 hits allowed in 152 innings pitched in which she struck out 274 batters. Besides pitching one perfect game this season, Grauer pitched three no-hitters and eight one-hitters. As a batter, after struggling with a batting average below .200 until midway through league play, she ended up at .328 on the season. She has signed with UCLA.

P - Miranda Viramontes, Chino (Calif.), Sr.
The CIF-Southern Section's 2013 D-II Player of the Year won 21 consecutive starts to finish out the season, posting a 0.36 earned run average during the regular season and allowed two runs in five postseason games. She finished with five no-hitters, six one-hitters and 15 shutouts. She has committed to Utah.

P - Allyson Frei, High Point (Sussex, N.J.), Sr.
Frei posted a 22-4 record with a 0.19 ERA and 393 strikeouts in 186 innings pitched last season, leading the Wildcats (22-4-1) to the North I, Group III sectional final. A returning First Team All-State selection, Frei recorded 14 shutouts and two no-hitters, including a 21-strikeout perfect game against Vernon Township. She is also the returning All-West Jersey Player of the Year. She batted .325 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. She has signed with Boston College.

P - Samantha Show, Jr.
As a sophomore at Pearland last season, the Oilers ace struck out 357 batters in 183 innings. In allowing just 47 hits, Show compiled a 0.65 ERA and pitched three no-hitters, five one-hitters and seven two-hitters. She won 30 games and also drove in 70 runs and was named Texas Gatorade Player of the Year.

*Since the time of this writing, Show has transferred to East Bernard but has been ruled ineligible for the 2014 season. The Show family can still appeal the decision.

P - Rachel Garcia, Highland (Palmdale, Calif.), Jr.
Garcia posted a 22-2 record in the circle with a 0.50 ERA last season, leading the Bulldogs (22-2) to the Southern Section D-III tournament. She struck out 302 batters in 139 innings pitched, allowing 42 hits and 24 walks with 14 shutouts and four no-hitters. At the plate, Garcia batted .709 with 13 home runs, 12 doubles, 42 RBIs and a 1.380 slugging percentage. She produced more extra-base hits (26) than outs (23) on the year. She has committed to UCLA.

P - Taran Alvelo, Bloom-Carroll (Carroll, Ohio), Jr.
By recording 363 strikeouts in 181 innings and winning 27 games, Alvelo led the Bulldogs to the D-3 state title in 2013. While her ERA was under 1.00, she also was an offensive force — .440 average, 13 homers and a .929 slugging percentage. She has committed to Washington.

P - Allie Wallsjasper, Sierra (Manteca, Calif.), Sr.
In 2013, Wallsjasper was 18-2 during the regular season with a 0.47 ERA. Opponents batted .088 against her and in 120 innings, she struck out 227 and walked just 24. Wallsjasper batted .482 with 20 RBIs, and an .815 slugging percentage. She has committed to LSU.

P - Andrea Kindrick, Russellville (Ark.), Jr.
Kindrick led the Cyclones (20-7) to the 2013 Class 6A state championship as she was 20-4 with a 0.16 ERA and 287 strikeouts in 135 innings. She allowed 42 hits and 14 walks with 13 shutouts and six perfect games. At the plate, the two-time Class 6A first team All-State selection batted .475 with four home runs, 10 doubles, 29 RBIs and an .847 slugging percentage. She was the Arkansas Gatorade winner for softball. Kindrick has committed to Alabama.

P - Tatum Buckley, Masuk (Monroe, Conn.), Sr.
Buckley led the Panthers to the Class L state championship. Buckley, named the state's Gatorade winner, compiled a perfect 27-0 record with a 0.37 ERA for the Panthers. Of her 27 wins, 18 were shutouts, four were no-hitters and two were perfect games. She struck out 289 batters in 171 innings and was named the CHSCA Player of the Year and CHSCA Female Athlete of the Year. She also batted leadoff with a .506 average with 42 hits and 28 RBIs. She has committed to Florida Atlantic.

P - Elizabeth Moss, Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), Sr.
Moss was 32-0 and struck out 222 in 182 Innings as Greenwood won a state record 44 games in 2013. Of the 645 batters she faced, only 71 managed base hits. The All-State pitcher walked only 22 and compiled a 0.38 ERA.

C - Maddy Jelenicki, Saugus (Calif.), Sr.
Jelenicki batted .576, drove in 31 runs, scored 32 and 21 of her base hits were for extra bases, including nine home runs. She struck out just once in 2013 as the Centurions finished 20-10 last season. She has committed to UCLA.

C - Ashley Walters, Center Point (Texas), Sr.
Batting leadoff, Walters was unstoppable in 2013 — .761 batting average (.807 OBP), 70 hits, 70 runs, 76 RBIs, 19 home runs, 30 doubles, four triples, 1.793 slugging and she struck out just once. She has committed to Texas A&M.

C - Ari Samaniego, Desert Edge (Goodyear, Ariz.), Jr.
Samaniego, who catches and plays outfield, hit 13 home runs, 21 doubles, five triples, drove in 60 runs and scored 50 runs a year ago. She batted .543 with a 1.287 slugging percentage. She struck out twice all season. She has committed to Northern Colorado.

C - Kreola Moore, Parkland (El Paso, Texas), Jr.
Moore, a returning first team 4A all-state selection, had 48 RBIs, clubbed 17 home runs and batted .563 as a sophomore. She has 26 home runs in two years — averaging a home run every seven (official) trips to the plate. Of her 113 hits over two seasons, 61 have been for extra base hits.

IF - Savannah Horvath, Centennial (Las Vegas), Sr.
The 5-8 junior third baseman led the Bulldogs (36-6) to the Class 4A state championship last season and was named MaxPreps Junior Player of the Year. Horvath batted .585 with 17 home runs, 64 runs scored and a state record-tying 87 RBIs. She has signed with Cal State University, Northridge.

IF - Vanessa Shippy, Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), Sr.
The second baseman put up numbers that made her a finalist for Junior Player of the Year as she batted .733 with an on-base percentage of .774 in 28 games. Shippy had 70 hits, scored 69 runs, drove in 30 teammates and was not caught stealing in 54 tries. She had 21 extra base hits and played a key role in Lake City winning its second state title in three years. She has committed to Arkansas.

IF - Jenna Lilley, Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), Sr.
The shortstop led the Crimson Tide to a 35-0 record and the D-I state title and unbeaten season. Lilley batted .697 with seven home runs, 53 RBIs and 46 runs scored in 32 games. A two-time first team All-State selection, Lilley has produced an .804 on-base percentage and a 1.303 slugging percentage. She has committed to Oregon.

IF - Kylee Perez, Alhambra (Martinez, Calif.), Sr.
Perez finished 2013 with a .618 batting average, .691 on base percentage, 42 hits, 51 RBIs, 46 runs, 12 home runs, 18 steals and committed only one error. She has committed to UCLA.

IF - Brianna Tautalafua, Carson (Calif.), Jr.
Named the Daily Breeze's Player of the Year, Tautalafua batted .587 (54-for-92) with 15 homers, 59 RBIs, 50 runs scored, 13 doubles and two triples. She has committed to UCLA.

IF - Taylor Wike, Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), Sr.
The two-time Northwestern Player of the Year hit .568 with 17 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs and 43 RBIs in leading Central to its third state title in five years. She has committed to North Carolina.

IF - Whitney Burks, South County (Lorton, Va.), Sr.
Burks, who can play shortstop, third and outfield, hit .662 and had an on-base percentage of .773 as a sophomore. Last year, she was a first team All-Metropolitan pick in the Washington D.C. area. She has signed with Stanford.

1B - Erika Underwood, Addison (Mich.), Jr.
Underwood had a .613 average and an on-base percentage of .730 for Addison. Her 17 home runs tied her for the second-most home runs in state history. Add in 33 walks, 10 stolen bases, 34 RBIs and 53 runs and its easy to understand why she was named to the D-3 All-State Team for the second time. She was named MichiganLive's Player of the Year.

1B – Kayli Kvistad, Columbia (Lake City, Fla.), Sr.
Kvistad led her Lake City, Fla. team to a 28-4 record and its first state title as she led the Gainesville area with a .617 average and .718 on-base percentage with 37 RBIs, 11 doubles and six home runs with only two strikeouts. She also added 19 steals and has been on the national radar since her freshman year when she was a MaxPreps Freshman All-American. She has signed with Florida.

OF - Emily Griggs, Maize (Kan.), Sr.
Last season, Griggs batted .688, scored 40 runs and totaled 55 hits in just 23 games. She had an on-base percentage of .731 and added 21 stolen bases for the 18-5 Eagles. She has signed with LSU.

OF - Alyssa Palomino, Mission Viejo (Calif.), Jr.
Palomino's 18 home runs, which tied for the state lead last season, came against some of the state's best pitchers. Besides the 18 homers, she hit .522 with nine doubles, two triples, 33 RBIs and 50 runs scored. The Orange County Register's Player of the Year has committed to Arizona.

OF - Amanda Lorenz, Moorpark (Calif.), Jr.
The 5-foot-5 sophomore centerfielder was a pitcher's nightmare from the leadoff spot. Lorenz batted .625 with 50 hits, 17 home runs, nine doubles, 45 runs scored and 40 RBIs. She had a slugging percentage of 1.375 and made no errors on defense to help Moorpark capture its first outright Marmonte League title. Lorenz was named the league's Most Valuable Player and was a first team All-CIF selection. Lorenz has committed to the University of Florida.

UTIL - Kelsey Smith, Empire (Tucson, Ariz.), Sr.
Smith led the state in RBIs with 75 and was tied for second in home runs with 15. She also went 11-3 in the circle, striking out 89 batters in 56.2 innings with a 1.73 ERA. She had 21 multi-RBI games and may have had her best performance against San Manuel, the eventual D-4 state champion, when she homered twice and drove in five runs. She was named the Arizona Star's Player of the Year. She has signed with East Tennessee.

UTIL - Ari Paulson, Payson (Ariz.), Sr.
Named Arizona's Small School Player of Year, Paulson batted .648 (.667 OBP), had 57 hits, 47 RBIs, scored 37 runs and posted a 1.330 slugging percentage with 18 doubles and a dozen home runs. She was also 16-0 pitching with an 0.86 ERA, and in 89 innings she recorded 174 strikeouts. She has committed to BYU.