Columbus-area players to watch
On Gannett Ohio's list of the top 22 players in the state, the top two players — Bloom-carroll's Lexi Paulsen and Watkins Memorial's Madison Jellison — are from central Ohio, as are five other players on the list. And those seven players are just the beginning when it comes to talented players around Columbus who hope to lead their teams to the state final four in Akron.
Here are some of the top softball players to watch throughout the Columbus area this spring:
Gabby Adams, Grove City, senior P:
Adams, a University of Rio Grande commit, was named second-team All-ohio and the OCC-OHIO player of the year last year as she went 25-2 in the circle with a 2.38 ERA. She hit .535 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 62 RBIS.
Kirnan Bailey, Gahanna, junior SS:
Bailey, a Dayton commit, hit .500 last season and didn't strike out in any of her plate appearances. She was named first-team all-conference and first-team all-district.
Colleen Bare, Pickerington Central, senior SS: Bare, a Central Arkansas commit, had 41 hits and nine home runs last year while earning first-team honors in both the Occ-buckeye and the Central district.
Kendyll Cahill, Groveport, senior P:
Cahill threw a perfect game last April and led the way for Groveport offensively and in the circle. She was named to the All-ohio second team in Division I.
Carsyn Cassady, Watkins Memorial, sophomore P: Cassady stepped in for Watkins Memorial as the starting pitcher from Day 1 and posted a 27-2 record with a 1.24 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 164 innings pitched. She was named second-team All-ohio in Division I.
Renae Cunningham, Heath, junior P/1B: Cunningham, ranked ninth on Gannett Ohio's list of the top 22 players in the state, led the Bulldogs to the Division II regional finals last year. The Northwestern commit hit .541 with 14 home runs and 34 RBIS, while going 15-2 with a 1.16 ERA and 155 strikeouts in 115 innings in the circle.
Emma Helwagen, Teays Valley, senior CF/2B: Helwagen broke Teays Valley's single-season stolen bases record with 43 last season. She was named first-team all-league, first-team all-district and second-team All-ohio in Division I.
Tatum Hubble, Westerville Central, junior C/OF: Hubble earned honorable mention All-ohio honors in Division I last season. In May, she was named to Extra Inning Softball's top 100 list of the best club softball players in the country.
Hannah Hunt, Watkins Memorial, senior SS: Hunt, a Bowling Green commit, hit .556 last season with 12 home runs and 58 RBIS.
Marlee Jacobs, Jonathan Alder, senior P: Jacobs, an Ohio Dominican commit, went 20-2 with a 0.68 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 133 innings pitched. Her ERA was the lowest among regular starters in the Central Buckeye Conference, and she was named second-team All-ohio in Division II.
Katlyn Jardine, Heath, senior IF: Jardine, a Robert Morris commit alongside twin sister Makayla, was named first-team all-district and honorable mention All-ohio in Division II last year.
Madison Jellison, Watkins Memorial, senior C: Jellison, a Toledo commit, hit .626 last season with 11 home runs and 61 RBIS as she led Watkins Memorial to the Division I state final. After tearing her ACL in December playing basketball, she may miss her senior season of softball. Jellison ranks second on Gannett Ohio's list of the top 22 players in the state.
Genevieve Longsdorf, Cardington, sophomore P: Longsdorf was named first-team All-ohio in Division III as a freshman and will continue to be the main arm in the circle for the Pirates, who were regional runner-up last season.
Brooke Mannon, West Jefferson, junior P/OF: Mannon, an Arizona commit, went 14-8 last season with a 1.43 ERA and 241 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched. At the plate, she hit .451 with four home runs, 16 RBIS and 30 runs scored.
Baylee Mirgon, Berne Union, junior IF: Mirgon was named second-team Allohio
in Division IV last season.
Lexi Paulsen, Bloom-carroll, senior P: Paulsen, an Ohio State commit, was named the Division II player of the year last year as she posted a 17-1 record with a 0.352 ERA and 280 strikeouts. She also led Bloom-carroll with a .492 batting average and five home runs. Paulsen was voted the No. 1 player in the state by Gannett's Ohio newspapers.
Reese Poston, Lancaster, sophomore P: Poston was named honorable mention All-ohio in Division I last season. She was also named first-team allocc and first-team all-district.
Emma Sweetman, Ready, senior IF: Sweetman, a Capital commit, led the Silver Knights last year with a programrecord 10 home runs. She hit .458 with 25 RBIS and 25 runs scored.
Macy Walters, Johnstown junior P/ UTIL: Walters helped lead the Johnnies to a Division III regional title, the second regional title in program history. She hit .407 with seven home runs and 44 RBIS.
Shelby Westler, River Valley, senior IF: Westler, an Ohio University commit, was named honorable mention All-ohio in Division II last year.