Who’s the best high school softball player on Coast?

As expected, last week’s column regarding the best South Mississippi prep baseball players elicited plenty of conversation.

Some talks were good. Others were, well, less constructive. The purpose of the column was to give Sun Herald readers a good idea of who should be considered among South Mississippi’s elite players. Many were either already committed to four-year schools or are receiving interest from Division I programs.

The list had a good blend of seniors and underclassmen with a wide array of skill sets. The softball list will be very similar in that way.

One interesting observation while doing research was that it appears Coast hitters could be ahead of the pitchers this year. There was an abundance of proven hitters to pick from and pitching was more difficult to come by.

At the risk of being a glutton for punishment, here’s a list of softball players to watch this season.

Back for more

South Mississippi graduated some absolute studs like Simone McKinney, Player of the Year Katelyn Gruich, Krystal Goodman, Emma Rae Castanedo and others, but, like with baseball, 2017 should be another strong year for contenders out of the Coast.

Returners from last year’s All-South Mississippi Softball Team include Dallas Blaker (Our Lady Academy), Megan Dudenhefer (Picayune), Mikaila Fox (Ocean Springs), Brooke Roach (Pass Christian) and Rakeya Travis (Poplarville).

Blaker has been a regular on the All-Coast team. The OLA dual-threat is coming off of a season in which she hit .514 with five homers and 39 RBIs to go along with nine wins and 196 strikeouts. Expect more of the same from the Pearl River Community College signee in 2017.

With Gruich now at South Alabama, Roach may not have a true rival when it comes to the title of Coast’s top slugger. As a sophomore last year, Roach hit .419 with eight homers, five doubles and 26 RBIs.

“She can take out a tree,” one coach remarked of Roach’s power.

Roach will form a scary duo with Morgan Funderburk, also a junior, who hit .370 with eight extra-base hits, a .552 on-base percentage, .652 slugging percentage and 20 RBIs in 2016.

Joining Blaker as one of the better two-way threats this year will be Dudenhefer. The senior hit .352 with seven extra-base hits, 28 runs scored and 14 RBIs while also boasting a 9-6 record and 1.19 ERA. In 112 innings, she struck out 107 batters.

Fox is one of several Coast products already committed to a four-year program. The UVA-bound shortstop had a stellar freshman campaign at OSHS, hitting .353 with 21 RBIs, three homers, four doubles and 20 runs scored.

Travis was a big reason Poplarville compiled an impressive 17-5 record last spring. As a freshman, Travis hit .475 with a .561 on-base percentage and a .779 slugging percentage. She also recorded 10 extra-base hits, 29 RBIs, 24 runs scored and eight stolen bases.

More to consider

Harrison Central lost a number of difference makers, including McKinney and Madison Burge, but is still considered a favorite to win it all.

Why? The Red Rebelettes return a number of stars, including third baseman Amari Ramsey and pitcher Kristen Cade.

Ramsey is one of three Red Rebelettes to sign with Alcorn State. Ramsey has had a strong showing in preseason practice and HCHS coach Jimmy Parker expects his third baseman to be in the middle of his lineup come opening day.

Over the last three seasons, Ramsey boasts a .335 batting average with a .382 on-base percentage and .496 slugging percentage with 25 extra-base hits and 58 RBIs. She’s also scored 69 runs.

Kristen Cade and her sister, Kayla, should form one of the scarier batteries in South Mississippi. As more or less an understudy to Burge, Cade excelled. Last year, she was 14-2 and her ERA was 0.83. She also led the team with 121 strikeouts in 101 innings.

“They communicate real well. I think it’s the sisterly stuff,” Parker said. “I’ve had sisters catch and pitch before, but not think alike like these two.”

Before even taking her first varsity swing as a Lady Greyhound, Kylie Taylor was already earmarked for the SEC. OSHS coach Lindsey O’Brien told the Sun Herald in December that part of what made Taylor such an attractive recruit was her velocity as she’s already throwing in the low 60s.

“She’s the real deal,” O’Brien said of Taylor, who saw minimal playing time as a seventh-grader at East Central before transferring to OSHS prior to this school year.

George County’s Kaitlyn Passeau was one of South Mississippi’s more consistent bats last year. As a sophomore, she hit .477 with 9 extra-base hits, 17 runs scored and 19 RBIs. Her .539 on-base percentage and .753 slugging percentage were among the Coast’s leaders.

It’s hard to pick just one standout on St. Patrick as the Fighting Irish return plenty of thump to their lineup.

Raylen and Raven Blackwell have similar statistics in a lot of areas. Raven hit .435 with a .516 on-base percentage and .620 slugging percentage while her sister hit .357 with a .522 OBP and .654 slugging mark.

In addition to a dangerous lineup throughout the order, St. Patrick returns one of the better pitchers in Anna D’Aquilla. As a junior, she was 18-4 with a 2.24 ERA. She struck out 135 batters against 23 walks in 131 1/3 innings.

West Harrison should once again be one of the stronger offensive teams on the Coast.

The Hurricanes return six regulars who hit over .300 last season, led by third baseman Rebecca Cuevas. A Faulkner State Community College signee, Cuevas hit .416 with a .470 on-base percentage and .606 slugging percentage. She also led WHHS with 14 extra-base hits.

By the numbers

Here are some of the aforementioned standouts with their 2016 production:

• Raven Blackwell: .435 BA; .516 OBP; .620 SLG; 53 R; 14 XBH, 26 RBI; 8 SB
• Raylen Blackwell: .357 BA; .522 OBP; 654 SLG; 38 R; 40 RBI; 12 XBH; 15 SB
• Dallas Blaker: .514 BA; 5 HR; 39 RBI; 9 W; 196 K
• Kristen Cade: 14-3; 0.83 ERA; 121 K and 20 BB in 101 IP
• Rebecca Cuevas: .416 BA; .470 OBP; .606 SLG 14 XBH; 15 R; 29 RBI
• Anna D’Aquilla: 18-4; 2.24 ERA; 135 K and 23 BB in 131 1/3 IP
• Morgan Dudenhefer: 9-6; 1.19 ERA; 107 K in 112 IP; .352 BA; .442 OBP; .454 SLG; 14 RBI; 31 H; 28 R; 7 XBH
• Mikaila Fox: .353 BA; .450 OBP; .544 SLG; 7 XBH; 20 R; 21 RBI
• Morgan Funderburk: .370 BA; .552 OBP; .652 SLG; 8 XBH; 20 RBIs
• Kaitlyn Passeau: .477 BA; .539 OBP; .753 SLG; 17 R; 19 RBI; 9 XBH
• Amari Ramsey: .330 BA; .368 OBP; .510 SLG; 9 XBH; 26 RBI; 26 R
• Brooke Roach: .419 BA; .513 OBP; .887 SLG; 8 HR; 5 2B; 36 RBI
• Kylie Taylor: N/A
• Rakeya Travis: .485 BA; .561 OBP; .779 SLG; 11 XBH; 29 RBI; 24 R, 8 SB

This story was originally published February 15, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Who’s the best high school softball player on Coast?."