17. Valencia (Calif.), 29-4-1
All-Southern Section junior pitcher
Carly Mortensen leads the way for the Vikings, who saw a 21-game win streak come to an end against Santa Margarita last year in the Southern Section Division I playoffs. Mortensen was 22-1 with a 0.89 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 164.2 innings pitched. The Vikings also return
Bethany Kemp, who batted .371 with three home runs last season.
18. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.), 24-7
The Eagles have one of the top pitchers in the nation in
Ally Carda, who was 18-6 with 331 strikeouts in 169 innings pitched with a 0.54 ERA. Carda also led the team in batting with a .512 batting average, 15 doubles and four home runs. All-Delta River League players
Michaela Crow (.265),
Lindsey Willmon (.361) and
Amber Murray (.312) also return.
19. Deer Valley (Glendale, Ariz.), 30-6
The Skyhawks return only seven players from last year's team, but one of them is all-state pitcher
Lauren Haeger, and that might be enough. Haeger was 14-2 in the circle with 202 strikeouts and a 0.79 ERA. At the plate, she was even better, batting .557 with 16 doubles, 58 RBIs and 15 home runs. Also back are sophomore
Hailey Spilman (.317) and infielder Kristi Johnson (.302).
20. Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 27-1
The Knights have won 16 straight Virginia Independent Schools state championships and have the weapons necessary to make it 17 in a row. All-state pitcher
Jilly Falle returns for her senior season while all-state picks
Sophia Giaquinto returns at catcher and
Jillian Ferraro returns at shortstop.
21. Perry (Massillon, Ohio), 27-3
Perry dominated in the Division I championship game, defeating Grove City 10-0. Casi Rohr returns in the circle for Perry after going 24-2 last season with a 0.71 ERA in 167.2 innings pitched with 214 strikeouts.
22. Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 56-8-1
The Warriors finished behind Soddy Daisy and Beech in the Tennessee Division I playoffs, but they return all-state pitcher Rachel Albritton (junior) and all-state catcher Dene' Souviney, along with 16 other letter winners. Albritton was 39-5 on the season with 44 strikeouts and a 0.44 ERA in 291.2 innings pitched. Souviney batted .454 with eight home runs, 82 RBIs, 61 runs, 17 doubles and 38 steals.
23. Dunnellon (Fla.), 31-1
National Player of the Year Kasey Fagan is gone, but three other Fagans return from last year's 4A state championship team. Catcher
Sami Fagan, the Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year, and junior infielder
Haley Fagan, a second team all-state pick, return for coach Kevin Fagan.
24. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 32-4
The Bears return three Fresno Bee All-Area players including MVP first baseman
Kelsey Dodd, junior pitcher
Amani Proctor, pitcher
Natalie Rendon and shortstop
Bailey O' Dell. Dodd batted .455 with 20 doubles and 35 RBIs while Proctor batted .457 and O'Dell batted .347. Rendon was 21-4 in the circle while Proctor was 9-0. The Bears were the Division 1 runners-up in the Central Section.
25. Poland Seminary (Poland, Ohio), 30-2
Although the Bulldogs finished second in the Ohio Division II state playoffs last season, they do return junior pitcher Erin Gabriel, who was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year and was a member of the Junior National Team. Gabriel was 21-1 with a 0.24 ERA and 318 strikeouts. She also batted .562 with 28 RBIs.
