The defending national champs and preseason No. 1 team stumbled out of the gate, falling to the No. 9 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school softball rankings after losses to
Clear Creek (League City) and
Katy.
Arizona pledge
Eloisa Maes has been the catalyst in the circle for Melissa, which rises to No. 7 in this week's rankings, after allowing 14 earned runs in her first 25 innings of the season. During the 14-game winning streak, the junior has been nothing short of dominant with a 0.47 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.
The Melissa bats have also come alive with
Hutton Adrian (Arkansas),
Kennedy Bradley (Florida) and
Finlee Williams (Oklahoma) all bashing at least 10 home runs this season. The trio have 135 career home runs with plenty more to come potentially as Adrian and Williams are still juniors.
Riverton (Utah) and
Glenwood (Chatham, Ill.) check into the MaxPreps Top 25 for the first time this season.
No. 24 Riverton (11-0) is led by senior Utah signee
Maggie Hamblin, who is hitting .576 with four home runs. Utah Valley pledge
Jaydan Bushman is right behind her with a .567 average as a junior.
The Silverwolves have two strong pitchers in senior Peyton Sanchez and junior Lindsey Strieby, who have gone 9-0 with a 2.06 ERA and 50 strikeouts.
Glenwood (3-0) checks in at No. 25. Penn State signee
Ryleigh Kiel has a .778 batting average with six of her seven hits going for extra bases. Led in the circle by Miami-Ohio signee
Irie Lohrenz, along with junior
Alyvia Streb, a Tennessee-Martin commit, the Titans have not allowed a run this season.
Riverton pitcher Peyton Sanchez has a 5-0 record with 30 strikeouts for the undefeated Silverwolves. In a nine-inning win over Copper Hills last week, the senior threw a complete game and allowed just one run while also hitting a double with the bat in her hands. (PHOTO: Terry Cullop)
1. Orange Beach (Ala.)
Record: 17-0 |
Last week: 1
Scores: Def. St. Michael Catholic 15-0, def. Spain Park 13-0, def. Ocean Springs 14-1
Next: March 25 vs. Fairhope
2. Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, La.)
Record: 28-0 |
Last week: 2
Scores: Def. North Caddo 21-0, def. Holy Savior Menard 10-0, def. St. Mary 10-0, def. Jena 3-0, def. Caddo Magnet 15-0, def. Many 21-1
Next: Today at North DeSoto
3. Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Record: 24-0-1 |
Last week: 3
Scores: Def. White Plains 13-0, def. Saint James 7-0, def. Northside 9-0, def. Hazel Green 4-3
Next: March 31 at Tuscaloosa County
4. Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas)
Record: 23-3 |
Last week: 4
Scores: Def. Port Neches-Groves 10-0, def. Nederland 10-0
Next: Today at West Brook
5. Murrieta Mesa (Murrieta, Calif.)
Record: 14-0 |
Last week: 5
Scores: Def. Temecula Valley 12-0, def. Vista Murrieta 22-5
Next: Today at Great Oak
6. Lake Creek (Montgomery, Texas)
Record: 21-1 |
Last week: 6
Next: Today vs. Brenham
7. Melissa (Texas)
Record: 19-2 |
Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Lovejoy 7-3, def. McKinney North 15-0, def. No. 11 Midway 4-1
Next: Today at Walnut Grove
8. Fullerton (Calif.)
Record: 11-1 |
Last week: 9
Scores: Def. Los Altos 6-1
Next: March 27 at Long Beach Poly
9. Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.)
Record: 15-0 |
Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Airport 13-2, def. West Ashley 7-0, def. South Aiken 11-0, def. West Ashley 18-0, def. Aiken 13-1
Next: March 26 at Gilbert
10. Palo Verde (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 12
Next: March 25 at Basic
11. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Record: 14-2 |
Last week: 7
Scores: Def. Aliso Niguel 8-2, def. Edison 10-2, lost to Los Altos 8-5, def. West 8-0
Next: March 27 vs. Santa Margarita
12. Midway (Waco, Texas)
Record: 18-4-1 |
Last week: 11
Scores: Def. Killeen 19-0, def. Bryan 14-0, lost to No. 8 Melissa 4-1
Next: Today at Copperas Cove
13. Norco (Calif.)
Record: 9-2 |
Last week: 13
Scores: Def. Centennial 14-0, def. Temescal Canyon 8-0
Next: April 8 at King
14. Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Record: 11-1-1 |
Last week: 14
Next: Today at Mountain Pointe
15. Kenton Ridge (Springfield, Ohio)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 16
Next: Opens today at Miami East
16. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 8-1 |
Last week: 17
Next: March 25 vs. Inspiration Academy
17. La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 18
Next: Opens March 31 vs. Smithfield
18. Pace (Fla.)
Record: 10-1 |
Last week: 19
Next: Today at Gulf Breeze
19. Destiny Christian Academy (Sacramento, Calif.)
Record: 6-0 |
Last week: 20
Scores: Def. Natomas 23-0, def. Rio Linda 10-0
Next: Today at El Camino
20. Clyde (Texas)
Record: 19-0 |
Last week: 21
Scores: Def. Merkel 6-0
Next: Today at Merkel
21. Crown Point (Ind.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 23
Next: Opens March 28 at Lockport
22. Ponderosa (Shingle Springs, Calif.)
Record: 14-0 |
Last week: 24
Scores: Def. Christian Brothers 13-1, def. Pleasant Grove 13-3, def. Rio Americano 15-0
Next: March 25 vs. Vista del Lago
23. Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)
Record: 9-1 |
Last week: 25
Scores: Def. St. Thomas Aquinas 11-0, def. Bishop Verot 8-4, def. Parrish Community 10-0
Next: April 1 at East Ridge
24. Riverton (Utah)
Record: 11-0 |
Last week: 27
Scores: Def. Copper Hills 6-1, def. Davis 19-3
Next: Today vs. Bingham
25. Glenwood (Chatham, Ill.)
Record: 3-0 |
Last week: 28
Scores: Def. Pontiac 10-0, def. Belleville West 10-0, def. Belleville West 15-0
Next: Today vs. Mt. Zion
Dropped out: No. 15
Kingwood (Texas), No. 22
Coahoma (Texas)
