Video: Sac-Joaquin Section softball players to watch
See some of the players from the talent-rich area.
The Greater Sacramento Area is rich with softball talent. You can see it at local or national tournaments during the summer travel season, or you may recognize former Sac-Joaquin Section players as you watch college games on TV, and even at the Olympic level, as former Casa Roble player Ali Aguilar goes for gold.
Northern California softball is some of the best throughout the country. We have compiled a list of high school softball players in all classes that Sac-Joaquin Section fans should have an eye on this spring season. If you have others we should add to the list, tweet
@smontoymp or email Steve.Montoya@cbsi.com.
Class of 2020
Anna Dethlefson, Bella Vista
File photo by Anthony Brunsman
Dethlefson will be a four-year starter for the Broncos. Career .385 average with 13 home runs.
College: Uncommitted
C/OF — Karlee Juarez, Bret Harte (Angels Camp)Juarez will be a four-year starter for the Bullfrogs. Career .628 batting average with a .720 on-base percentage.
College: Miami Ohio
C/3B — Molly Haley, Buhach Colony (Atwater)Batted .362 as a sophomore and followed up by hitting .400 as a junior. Class of 2020 teammate
Justine Navarra is a West Texas A&M commit.
College: University of Jamestown
IF — Keelie Koepp, Calaveras (San Andreas)Will be a four-year starter for Calaveras. Career .496 average with 133 RBI and 106 runs scored. Class of 2020 teammate
MacKenna Steele is a Fresno State commit.
College: Azusa Pacific
2B — Alexis Aguado, Casa Roble (Orangevale)Aguado hit .409 as a junior and had 11 extra base hits, including two home runs. Also watch for Class of 2020 teammates
Alex Allen (Chico) and
Cadee Cooper (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville).
College: Cal State San Bernardino
SS — Karson Bagelmann, Center (Antelope)Bagelmann will be a four-year varsity player for the Cougars. She has a career .503 average.
College: Saginaw Valley State
UTIL/ P — Grace Tangen, Christian Brothers (Sacramento)Tangen hit .407 as a junior with a .526 OBP. She will also pitch for Christian Brothers this spring.
College: University of San Diego
P — Katelyn Oldwin, Del Oro (Loomis)Oldwin will be a four-year varsity player for the Eagles. She is 20-13 in the circle with 265 strikeouts. Also watch for Class of 2020 teammates
Madison Urrutia and
Michaela Robison, both Concordia commits.
College: Chico
C — Brooklyn Baker, El Camino (Sacramento)Baker was at Sacramento High prior to El Camino where she hit .469 with 13 home runs.
College: Jacksonville State
P — Ava Hand, Elk Grove Hand will be back for her fourth year on varsity. She is 37-11 overall with 494 strikeouts.
College: Humboldt State
Update: Injured, may miss entire 2020.
SS — Sheridan Gulley, Grace Davis (Modesto)Gully had a very solid junior season batting .522 with 36 RBIs. She also had a .972 fielding percentage at SS.
College: Stanislaus State
Gose hit .605 last year as a junior. So far in her career at Hughson she has a .556 average with 54 RBIs.
College: Iowa State
3B — Rylie Costa, Kimball (Tracy)Kimball has batted above .500 for consecutive years playing for Kimball. She also has nine home runs.
College: Minnesota
IF — Gabby Herrera, Linden The four-year varsity player gets better every year. As a junior, she batted .515 with 10 home runs.
College: Oregon
Perez has a career .489 average with 53 RBIs and six home runs. Perez hit .603 as a sophomore.
College: San Diego State
Jacquez has a career .373 average for the Eagles. She was selected to play against Team USA this May
College: Utah
P — Shaye Zlatunich, Rosemont (Sacramento) Zlatunich will be back for her fourth-year at the varsity level. She is 12-1 overall in the circle and also has a career .395 average.
College: Chico
INF — Kaylee MacDannald, MantecaFinished her junior batting .429 with three home runs. She has 93 career hits during her three years on varsity.
College: College of Idaho
Kaylee MaxDannald, Manteca
File photo by Anthony Brunsman
Has been a star for Mira Loma for three years. She has a career .575 average and hit .620 last spring.
College: Santa Clara
C/UTIL — Hollee Travao, ModestoTravao will wrap up her four-year Panthers career. She has a career .446 average with eight home runs.
College: Humboldt State
C/INF — Tatum Wentworth, Pioneer (Woodland)She's hit over .400 all three years at the varsity level. She also has 17 home runs, 10 coming last spring.
College: Cal State Northridge
UTIL — Kalli Cook, Ponderosa (Shingle Springs)The Ponderosa senior had a monster junior year. She batted .576 with 22 RBI. Class of 2020 teammate
Dylan Bliss hit .435 as a junior.
College: West Texas A&M
C — Elizabeth Thomas, Ripon ChristianShe's hit over .446 all three years. Batted .609 last spring with 12 home runs. Class of 2020 teammate
Madison DeGraaf went 21-4 in the circle.
College: Uncommitted
2B — Bella Ayala, RosevilleHad a solid junior year batting .344 and a .904 OPS. The four-year player also had a 429 OBP.
College: Fordham University
UTIL — Kiannah Pierce, Sheldon (Sacramento)One of many Sheldon players to watch, she has a career .498 average. Others to keep an eye on from the Class of 2020,
Sam Oliver (UNR) and
Tessa Poirier (Humboldt).
College: North Carolina
3B — Nicole Gardner, Sierra (Manteca)Has a career average of .333 during her three years at the varsity level. Class of 2020 teammate
Samantha Lorge (William Jessup) is also a player to watch.
College: University of Saint Katherine
P — Kelsey Burr, Sonora Burr went 7-6 in the circle as a junior with a 2.43 ERA, striking out 130 in 86 innings pitched.
College: Humboldt State
P — Emma Eastman, Stone Ridge Christian (Merced)Eastman is 28-2 overall the past three years. She is 20-0 since her sophomore year. Class of 2020 teammate
Hannah Nelson is 25-3 in the circle.
College: George Fox
3B — Bella Pahulu, TracyHit five home runs and batted .352 as a junior. Class of 2020 teammate
Giavana Alegre hit four homers and batted .390.
College: UC Davis
MIF — Mia Perez, Vista del Lago (Folsom)Blasted eight home runs last spring while batting .456. She has a career .462 average the past three seasons.
College: Cal Poly
P — Tawni McCarty, WaterfordMcCarty has a 41-24 overall record during her varsity career. She went 19-9 as a junior.
College: Stony Brook
P — Nia Trinidad, Whitney (Rocklin)Went 15-3 as a junior for the Division I section champions. Class of 2020 teammate
Montanah Hermosillo is back after batting .460 last spring.
College: Hawaii
Nia Trinidad, Whitney
File photo by Gary Jones
Has a career .675 batting average during her three years on varsity. She also has 35 home runs. Class of 2020 teammate
Anna Pires (Sac State) is also a player to watch.
College: Boise State
UTIL — Delaney Amarel, Yuba CityHit .469 with four home runs as a junior. Class of 2020 teammate
Jordy Martins had a solid junior season batting .426.
College: Uncommitted
Class of 2021P/IF — Kaleihavi Railback, Alpha Charter (Elverta)She's 16-4 in two seasons for Alpha Charter. She also has a .463 batting average.
College: Uncommitted
P — Paige Fisher, Beyer (Modesto)Fisher went 13-3 last spring while striking out 171 in 109 innings.
College: Uncommitted
INF — Angelina DeLeon, Calaveras (San Andreas)Went off last spring, batting .507 with three home runs and 27 RBI.
College: Minnesota
3B/SS — Maddie Moore, Del Oro (Loomis) Hit .429 with six home runs and had a .429 OBP.
College: Clemson
Update: Injured, may miss entire 2020
C — Brooklynn Pettis, Elk Grove Hit five home runs and batted .467. She hit .364 as a freshman.
College: Boise State
Batted .368 for the Bulldogs in 2019. She had a .449 OBP and hit three home runs.
College: Concordia
IF — Sydney Peterson, Franklin (Stockton)Has a career average of .562 during her first two years on varsity. She also has seven home runs.
College: LSU
P — Hannah Ortega, Linden Ortega went 21-5 with 12 shutouts.
College: Uncommitted
SS — Johnna Schroeder, Lodi Has 43 RBI and a career .490 batting average at the varsity level.
College: Uncommitted
Johnna Schroeder, Lodi
File photo by Anthony Brunsman
P — Cortney Koelmans, OakdaleMay step in the No. 1 pitcher for Oakdale this year. She batted .402 last spring. Class of 2021 teammate
Rylie Goodridge is committed to Lee University.
College: Uncommitted
P — Aubrey Smith, Oakmont (Roseville)Smith went 10-3 overall, and also hit .486.
College: Uncommitted
P — Kaylee Hunter, Ponderosa (Shingle Springs)Hunter has been a two-year starter for the Bruins. She won 12 games as a junior with a 2.50 ERA and 114 strikeouts.
College: Uncommitted
P — Sydney Thomason, RiponThomason had a 24-2 overall record as the ace for the Indians. She also batted .575
College: Uncommitted
MIF — Claudia Medina, River City (West Sacramento)Hit .575 as a junior. She had seven home runs, including two grand slams.
College: Utah State
C/OF — Jayla Castro, Rocklin One of the top national recruits in the Class of 2021. Class of 2021 teammate
Brook Thompson is a legit recruit as well. She is committed to Boise State.
College: UCLA
UTIL — Lauren Van Der Kamp, Rosemont (Sacramento)One of several Class of 2021 Wolverine players watch.
Jade Smith and
Eliana Enriquez join a strong junior class for Rosemont.
College: Uncommitted
SS/C — Acacia Anders, Vacaville Has batted over .500 both years at the varsity level. She has hit six home runs so far.
College: Boise State
P — Lexi Holihan, Vista del Lago (Folsom)Finished 12-5 in the circle last year for the Eagles. She also hit .432 with four home runs.
College: Uncommitted
Bryson has a career .409 average so far during her first two years at the varsity level. She hit seven home runs last spring.
Class of 2022
C/IF — Lauren Asia, Bear Creek (Stockton)Batted .323 as a freshman on varsity last spring. She drove in 26 runs as well.
College: Uncommitted
OF — Madison Clark, Calaveras (San Andreas)Hit .576 as a freshman. She hit two homes runs and had 53 hits last spring.
College: Uncommitted
P — Baven Gray, Center (Antelope)Went 11-3 in the circle and batted .510. Her freshman teammate, Keierra Bowman, hit .353 for last spring.
College: Uncommitted
P/MIF — Jenna Birch, Del Oro (Loomis)Birch was an impact player for a solid Golden Eagles team as a freshman. She had a .398 OBP and a .909 fielding percentage.
College: Oregon State
3B — Jadyn Fernald, Franklin (Elk Grove)Made an instant impact for the Wildcats. She hit. 469 as a freshman. Her Class of 2022 teammate Imani Black struck out 88 batters.
College: Uncommitted
Goold pitched 66 innings as a freshman last spring at the varsity level. She went 4-1, including a 1-0 win over Tracy.
College: Uncommitted
P — Peyton Blankenheim-Brown, Mira Loma (Sacramento)Blankenheim-Brown went 10-5 in the circle with a 2.13 ERA. She struck out 117 batters.
College: Uncommitted
C/3B — Sophia Ortiz, OakdaleOrtiz got experience with a superb Oakdale team in 2019. The Mustangs went 29-1-1 overall.
College: Uncommitted
IF — Madison Redinger, Oakmont (Roseville)The Vikings player will have a solid for three more seasons. Redinger hit .512 with eight home runs.
College: Uncommitted
OF/IF — Shaylen McDowell, RosevilleHad 17 hits as a freshman for Roseville. Her 2022 teammate Malaya Johnson won 13 games in the circle and hit .452.
College: Oregon State
OF — Dakota Kennedy, Sheldon (Sacramento)Batted .521 last year with Folsom. She will play with Sheldon this spring. Her former 2022 teammate at Folsom, Reina Zermeno joins her at Folsom.
College: Uncommitted
P — Hope Jenkins, St. Francis (Sacramento)Went 9-6 in the circle as a freshman. She will be throwing to her twin sister,
Grace, for three more years.
College: Uncommitted
Hope Jenkins, St. Francis
File photo by Anthony Brunsman
Had a breakout freshman year batting .579 with 55 hits and a .643 OBP.
College: Uncommitted
IF — Tayler Bieh, Vista del Lago (Folsom)Bieh looked like a four-year starter as a freshman for the Eagles, batting .600 with three home runs and 60 hits total. Her teammate catcher Grace Matej is another sophomore to watch for.
College: Uncommitted
P — Hazyl Gray, Vanden (Fairfield)Went 16-3 in the circle as a freshman. She struck out 122 with a 2.01 ERA. She also hit .400.
College: Uncommitted
2023P — Rylei Trujillo, Center (Antelope)Could be a nice combo with 2022 pitcher Braven Gray. She also could be throwing to another 2023 player in Mady Welch.
P - MaKayla Smith, El Camino (Sacramento)Smith could get a lot of innings for the Eagles. She may split them with another 2023 player, Madelyn Spencer.
P — Aissa Silva, Elk GroveThe Thundering Herd already has a strong pitching staff, but watch out for this lefty throughout the next four years.
IF — Nailyn Marshall, Franklin (Elk Grove)Marshall has speed, power and a great glove. She may be hard to leave off the field.
P — Jenissa Conway, Marysville Conway has been on the national stage pitching in the PGF 14 national finals. The lefty can bring it in the circle.
IF — Jenna Joyce, Pondersosa (Single Springs) If Joyce is brought up to the varsity she will bring speed, power and athleticism. The Bruins could have several freshman who could make an impact.
P — Jaylee Ojo, Sheldon (Sacramento)Ojo will be behind some good pitchers at Sheldon. But she could be the future for Coach Truesdale.
OF — Ka'Liyah Gipson, Vanden (Fairfield)Gipson is a major threat at the plate. She has a 2.8 time from home to first. She can slap, hit, bunt and run.
