MaxPreps 2017 Preseason All-American Softball Team

Video: 2017 Preseason Top 50 Softball Teams
View images of elite players on softball teams ranked among our preseason Top 10.

A dozen pitchers who combined to average better than two strikeouts per inning highlight the MaxPreps 2017 Preseason All-American Softball Team.

Headlining the list of strikeout pitchers are 2016 national strikeout leader Grace Baalman, Meaghan Beaubien and junior Montana Fouts. Baalman fanned 589 batters a year ago, Fouts finished with 479 and Beaubien tallied 395. That's a combined 1,462 in 675 innings, an average of just under 2.2 strikeouts per inning.

In addition, the team includes six players who have been named to the U.S. Junior National Girls Team – pitcher Holly Azevedo, catcher Mary Iakopo, infielders Taylon Snow, Bri Perez and Lou Allan and outfielder Kaylee Tow.

Also included on the 33-player list are MaxPreps 2016 National Junior of the Year Camryn Ybarra, 2015 National Sophomore of the Year Kendall Beth Sides and the 2015 (Kayla Bozeman) and 2014 (Jenna Ergle) national freshmen players of the year.

Notable:

- The quartet of catchers combined to bat an average of .597 and drive in more than a run per game.

- The infielders averaged double-digit homers and accounted for an average of better than three runs per game.

- The four outfielders chosen batted .656, .611, .571 and .535 and combined to steal 176 bases and score 277 runs.

- The three multi-position players were as impressive – one drove in 89 runs and homered 21 times, another batted .708 and the third averaged nearly two strikeouts per inning while batting .645.

California leads the way with 10 selections, followed by Alabama with four and Texas with three. Three juniors and 30 seniors were selected. Seventeen states were represented.

P - Grace Baalman, Calhoun (Hardin, Ill.), Sr.
Baalman, who struck out 39 batters in a 17-inning 2A state semifinal game, pitched Calhoun to its second-straight state title. The two-time MaxPreps All-American finished the season with a nation-leading 589 strikeouts in 267 innings and compiled a 0.21 ERA to go with her 35-2 record. She concluded the season with 260 strikeouts in her final 102 innings. In addition to her 39-strikeout effort, Baalman recorded 30 and 26 strikeouts in other postseason games. There's more. She hit 18 home runs and batted over .500. The Kentucky signee has 1,017 strikeouts over the last two seasons.

P - Holly Azevedo, Pioneer (San Jose, Calif.), Sr.
A future UCLA Bruin, Azevedo went 25-3 with a 0.18 ERA, 334 strikeouts in 191 innings and 17 shutouts. She also batted .482 with 10 extra-base hits. Azevedo, who pitched four no-hitters, has allowed just six earned runs in her last two seasons. Each of her three 2016 losses were by one run. She is a three-time MaxPreps All-American.

P - Meghan Beaubien, St. Mary Catholic Central (Monroe, Mich.), Sr.
Beaubien led the Kestrels to their second-straight 3A state title, pitching perfect games in the state semifinal and championship games. She was 25-1 on the season with 12 shutouts and 394 strikeouts in 187 innings. She allowed just 10 earned runs, 55 base hits and 16 walks. Beaubien also batted .485 with 50 hits. The Michigan signee struck out 400 as a sophomore and pitched 10 no-hitters.

P - Montana Fouts, East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), Jr.
If there was a more dominant pitcher anywhere, we didn't know about her. The Alabama commit led the Raiders to deep playoff run and 37-2 record as she recorded a 33-2 record with 479 strikeouts in 221 innings. She had a 0.48 ERA, allowed just 42 hits and pitched 24 shutouts with a nation-leading 14 no-hitters (nine were perfect game). Fouts, who batted .446 with six homers and 50 RBIs, was the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year in 2016 and was the lone underclassman who was a finalist for the MaxPreps National Player of the Year award.

P - Lauren Mathis, West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.), Sr.
The future Georgia Bulldog led her team to the 2016 Class 9A state title with a 25-1 record while posting a 0.15 EAR. Named Miss Florida Softball, Mathis struck out 272 batters in 138 innings while allowing just three earned runs and 36 hits. Mathis dominated her opponents in the state Final Four, allowing only five hits, no earned runs and striking out 26 batters in 13 innings pitched.

P - Maddy Dwyer, Orange Lutheran (Calif.), Sr.
Orange Lutheran's All-American ace won an Orange County-best 26 games, struck out 173, pitched a dozen shutouts and posted a 1.10 ERA. The Stanford signee was named the Orange County Register Softball Pitcher of the Year.

P - Alexis Holloway, Crown Point (Ind.), Sr.
A first team All-State selection and Notre Dame signee, Holloway went 13-0 with a 0.38 ERA, allowing 33 hits with 176 strikeouts in 92 innings. A two-time MaxPreps All-American, she also hit .398 with 16 extra-base hits and 23 RBIs.

P - Brooke Vestal, Canyon (New Braunfels, Texas), Jr.
Committed to Oklahoma, Vestal was All-State, District 29-4A Player of the Year and a MaxPreps All-American for a second time. She was 25-8 with a 1.73 ERA and 346 strikeouts in 211 innings with three no-hitters during the playoffs, including in back-to-back games. She batted .432 with 10 home runs, 16 doubles and 41 RBIs. She posted 348 strikeouts as a freshman.

P - Maddie McGrandle, Frisco (Texas), Sr.
McGrandle led the Raccoons to a 31-3 record and a berth in the Class 5A state tournament semifinals. She was 31-3 with a 0.81 ERA in the circle, striking out 385 batters in 207 innings. The two-time District 9-5A Player of the Year also batted .529 with 10 home runs and 57 RBIs. She has signed with Texas A&M.

P - Courtney Vierstra, Lakewood (Hebron, Ohio), Sr.
A Miami of Ohio signee, Vierstra went 21-0 with a 0.69 ERA, leading Lakewood to its fourth state championship. She was voted Licking County League-Buckeye Division Player of the Year.

P - Jordan Dail, Brookville (Lynchburg, Va.), Sr.
The lefty recorded 107 of her 358 strikeouts (in 162 innings) during Brookville's postseason. She pitched nine no-hitters, including a pair of 20-strikeout games. The Region 3A West and Conference 30 Player of the Year was 23-3 with a 0.47 ERA. She has signed Virginia Tech.

P - Tristin Achenbach, Conrad (Mont.), Sr.
In the 2016 state tournament, Achenbach twirled three no-hitters, including a perfect game, lifting Conrad to a the title. She had 57 strikeouts and just three walks in 24 innings. In leading the Cowgirls to a 25-3 record and a second-straight Class B/C state championship, Achenbach was 23-0 with a 0.19 ERA, setting state records for both single-season wins and ERA. She totaled 338 strikeouts in 151 innings, allowing just 24 hits and issuing only eight walks. Her 12 no-hitters included four perfect games. Achenbach batted .607 with 16 doubles and had 35 RBIs. The two-time MaxPreps All-American has signed with Montana.

C - Mia Davidson, Orange (Hillsborough, N.C.), Sr.
The Mississippi State signee led the Panthers (23-4) to the third round of the Class 3A state playoffs when she compiled a .740 batting average with 18 home runs, 49 RBIs and 57 runs. A three-time All-State honoree, Davidson posted an on-base percentage of .851 and a slugging percentage of 2.060. She walked (most were intentional) 44 times on the season.

C - Mary Iakopo, Los Alamitos (Calif.), Sr.
A member of the USA National Girls Juniors team, Iakopo signed with Oregon after being named the Sunset League's top player as a junior after hitting .426 with eight homers and 20 RBIs.

C - Danielle Romanello, Canterbury (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Sr.
The future Florida Gator was named Miracle Sports 2A Player of the Year after hitting .597 with 31 RBIs in 25 games. As a starter in five varsity seasons, Romanello has 185 base hits and is hitting .520. She is a three-time MaxPreps Underclass All-American.

C - Jocelyn Alo, Campbell (Ewa Beach, Hawaii), Sr.
Signed with Oklahoma, Alo led her team to a state championship after going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs during the title game to be named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Alo was named a MaxPreps All-American and Gatorade's State High School Player of the Year after hitting .612 with eight homers, 30 RBIs and 13 runs scored during her senior season. A two-sport athlete, Alo was also crowned the girls state champion in wrestling at 184 pounds.

IF - Camryn Ybarra, Mission Viejo (Calif.), Sr.
Facing some of the best pitching in the country, Ybarra led the Diablos in batting average (.514), home runs (12), hits (54), on-base percentage (.617) and runs scored (33). The Oregon State signee was honored as the MaxPreps 2016 Junior Player of the Year and named the Orange County Register's Softball POY.

IF - Lauren Burke, Marist (Eugene, Ore.), Sr.
Burke batted .712 with 21 home runs and 58 RBIs. She recorded two three-homer games and hit a state single-game record four home runs in another. A three-time Class 5A first team All-State honoree, she also hit 18 doubles, scored 66 runs, stole 23 bases and posted a .737 on-base percentage along with a 1.510 slugging percentage. The Oregon signee was a 2016 MaxPreps Medium Schools All-American pick.

IF - Taylon Snow, Chino Hills (Calif.), Sr.
Honored All-CIF, All-Inland Valley and first team All-League for a third time, Snow batted .438 (46-for-105) with 10 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 37 RBIs. The Auburn signee had a slugging percentage of .847 and is a two-time MaxPreps All-American.

IF - Hayley Busby, O'Connor (Phoenix), Sr.
The 2016 MaxPreps Junior All-American hit .528 with 67 hits, 43 runs scored, 26 doubles, 14 home runs and 70 RBIs on O'Connor's 29-win team. She was the state Gatorade POY and has signed with Virginia.

IF - Camryn Woodall, Keller (Texas), Sr.
The Utah pledge hit .504 for the Class 6A state champions. She finished the season with 13 doubles and nine triples and had 59 hits, 42 runs and 35 RBIs in 39 games. She was a 2016 MaxPreps Junior All-American.

IF - MacKenzie Nutt, Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), Sr.
The Auburn signee and 2016 MaxPreps Junior All-American led Sparkman to the state 7A title with a team-best 12 home runs, 76 RBIs and 17 doubles while batting .444 with 63 runs and 21 walks. She also stole 18 bases.

IF - Mary Katherine Tedder, Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.), Sr.
The University of Texas recruit set a school record with 20 home runs and batted .457 with 74 hits, five triples, 74 RBIs and 31 walks. She was a 2016 MaxPreps Junior All-American.

IF - Briana Perez, Alhambra (Martinez, Calif.), Sr.
Perez hit .613, drove in 40 runs, had 18 extra-base hits, 21 steals, 46 hits and scored 56 runs as Alhambra won the CIF-North Coast Section D-2 title. The UCLA signee is a three-time MaxPreps All-American.

IF - Alexi (Lou) Allan, Oak Hills (Hesperia, Calif.), Sr.
Signed with Michigan, Allan was named the High Desert Player of the Year, Mohave River League Player of the Year and first team All-CIF. She has helped lead her team to three straight league titles. Allan owns a .600 career batting average with 33 home runs; as a junior, she recorded a 1.931 OPS with 43 RBIs. Her grandmother is two-time Olympian Sheila Cornell and she was a member of Team USA Junior.

IF - Jenna Ergle, Sumiton Christian (Ala.), Sr.
Ergle drove in 106 runs with her 80 base hits (26 doubles and 15 homers included). She had a slugging percentage of 1.052 and drove in two or more runs in 30 games. She also was 12-6 with a 1.92 ERA pitching as Sumiton Christian won its second-straight 2A state title. As a sophomore, Ergle had 80 hits and drove in 103 runs. As a freshman in 2014, the Boston College signee drove in 127 and was named MaxPreps Freshman of the Year.

OF - Livy Schiele, Bishop's (La Jolla, Calif.), Sr.
Signed by Auburn, Schiele batted .611 and scored 59 times in 29 games. She drove in 21 runs and had a base hit in each game. She also had 27 extra-base hits and stole 35 bases. The returning MaxPreps All-American will enter 2017 with a 36-game hitting streak.

OF - Kendall Beth Sides, Sumiton Christian (Ala.), Sr.
The Alabama signee turned in another spectacular season with 101 hits (.571 batting average), 104 runs scored and 82 stolen bases as Sumiton Christian won 57 games and the 2A state title. Named the State 2A Player of the Year and to the All-Alabama Super Softball Team, she has scored 293 times and stolen 369 bases – both national records. And the perennial MaxPreps All-American has one season remaining.

OF - Kaylee Tow, North Hopkins (Madisonville, Ky.), Sr.
Signed by Alabama, Tow helped lead North Hopkins to 71 wins over the last two seasons. She was named the 3A State Player of the Year and owns Kentucky's state single-season records in hits, runs scored and walks and is ranked second in career runs and home runs. As a junior, Tow batted .535 and posted 74 runs, had 61 hits, 14 home runs, 21 steals and 46 RBIs. She is a member of the U.S. National Junior Women's Softball Training Team.

OF - Sammy Fabian, Glendale (Calif.), Sr.
Though her 61-game hitting streak came to an end, the UC Santa Barbara recruit batted .652 (42-for-64) and helped Glendale tie for second place in the Pacific League. The two-time MaxPreps All-American and All-CIF performer added 40 runs, 22 RBIs, 10 doubles, four triples, three homers and had 18 stolen bases.

UTIL - Kayla Boseman, Ooltewah (Tenn.), Jr.
The MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year in 2015, Boseman led the Owls to a 41-6 season after hitting .589 and driving in 89 runs (almost two per game). She had 21 homers and 17 doubles in 2016. In the circle, she was 19-4 with a 2.04 ERA and had 194 strikeouts in 137 innings. Committed to Mississippi, Boseman drove in two or more runs in a game 25 times.

UTIL - Maddie Morgan, Lynnwood (Bothell, Wash.), Sr.
Signed with Alabama, Morgan broke the school's single-season batting average record as a freshman, hitting .589, before besting that record with a .657 sophomore season and a .708 in her junior season. She was an All-Conference third baseman her first two seasons, earned All-Conference accolades at shortstop as a junior and was a two-time Seattle Times All-Area honoree.

UTIL - Chloe Romero, Academy of Careers & Exploration (Helendale, Calif.), Sr.
A multi-sport athlete who has earned letters in softball, soccer, volleyball and cross country. During her three-year career, she has managed a 1.25 combined ERA from the circle with 702 strikeouts over 387 innings, while also batting .553 with 135 total hits, 154 runs scored, 46 stolen bases and a .910 slugging percentage. As a junior, Romero batted .645 with 49 hits, 51 runs scored, a 1.026 slugging mark and a 0.92 ERA with 237 strikeouts over 129 innings. Romero, who has signed with Texas, is a three-time MaxPreps All-American.