Meet the high school softball players to watch this season
Last year was one of the best softball seasons in the area across all teams.
The area was led by one of the best pitchers and one of the best hitters in area history, both now playing for NCAA Division I programs.
But other than those two players, most of the elite players in the area return.
Here is a look at the returners to watch:
Alexa Brott
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Pitcher and infield
LAST YEAR: As a pitcher went 9-7 with a 2.48 ERA. She struck out 123 in 101.1 innings and only walked 16. ALso hit .315 with 23 RBIs and 28 runs scored. All-conference in OK Green.
COACH'S VIEW: “Alexa is a true work horse and self-less teammate. She showed up every game and practice ready to give more for her team. She played all 35 games this year, pitching the majority of innings for our team this year and would play OF and 2B when not on the mound. Alexa is the type of player to lead by example and has true passion for the game, her team, and wanting to improve all of her skills. We can’t wait to see what she does her senior year." - Kayla Smart
Ella Davison
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Sophomore
POSITION: Catcher/first base
LAST YEAR: Batted .643 to lead the area and had on-base percentage of .676. She had 51 RBIs and 48 runs scored to go along with 18 doubles. All-conference in OK Blue.
COACH'S VIEW: “Ella burst quietly onto the high school softball scene. She is one of the best freshmen players not only in West Michigan but also the state. In a very demanding OK-Blue Conference, her offensive numbers speak for themselves. She has 17 extra base hits and has played catcher, first base and occasionally DP. She is a rare talent." - Mark Behnke
Emily Kragt
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Third base/pitcher
LAST YEAR: Batted .407 with 24 RBIs, 33 runs scored. All-conference in OK Green.
COACH'S VIEW: “Emily came into her sophomore season just as hard as last year. She improved so much over the off months and even more during season. Primarily playing the hot corner for us, Emily was a key to our success. She also saw time on the mound pitching 54 innings on the season with some time at 1B, SS, and 2B. Emily had the whatever the team needs attitude and did a great job hitting in the second spot. She has a bright future and can’t wait to watch her continued growth over the next few years.” - Kayla Smart
Jaiden Lee
SCHOOL: Zeeland East
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Outfield
LAST YEAR: All-conference in OK Green. One of the best defensive outfielders in area history.
COACH'S VIEW: "Jaiden played centerfield for us this year. She was able to cover a lot of ground in the outfield. Some of the plays she made this year were high level and impressive. Any ball hit in her area, I was confident she was going to be able to track it down. Jaiden also made a big impact with her bat for us, too. She has also been a great leader for our team this year." - Miranda Robbins
Taylor Oosterink
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Catcher
LAST YEAR: All-conference in OK Blue. Batted .507 with 43 RBIs and 54 runss cored.
COACH'S VIEW: “Taylor had a phenomenal season as our leadoff hitter. She scored more runs (49) this season than some teams did in two weeks. She hit 24 extra base hits including seven triples. She did a wonderful job of setting the table for the top of our order to put up the numbers they did. She also was our primary catcher and handled catching our pitchers as only the rare ones could." - Mark Behnke
Kierea Smits
SCHOOL: Holland Christian
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Pitcher/outfield
LAST YEAR: Had 135 strikeouts as a pitcher. Batted .410 with an on-base percentage of .630 with 21 RBIs and 27 runs scored. All-conference in OK Blue.
COACH'S VIEW: "Kierea is a work horse. She comes ready to play and does everything she can to help the team. She is a great teammate and is always cheering and encouraging." - Laura Hunderman
Abby VandenBerg
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Third base
LAST YEAR: Batted .379 with four home runs, 36 RBIs and 54 runs scored. All-conference in OK Blue.
COACH'S VIEW: “Abby is the best defensive third baseman in the greater Holland area. Many teams decide they want to bunt on us and they are bunting the ball to a college third baseman. Offensively, she was exactly what this team needed in the third spot because she can hit for power but also is very capable of moving runners and oftentimes doing that and still reaching base. She has shown up and played her best against the best teams on our schedule." - Mark Behnke
Alesha VandenBerge
SCHOOL: Holland
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Pitcher
LAST YEAR: All-Conference in OK Green. At the plate, batted .526 with a .597 on-base percentage.
COACH'S VIEW: "Alesha is the driving force of our team. She is a 5 tool player, can play every defensive position with great skill and leads the team by example and vocally. Alesha has a great softball future at the next level. I look forward to watching her complete her high school career next season." - Rick Harris
Kianna Vork
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Infield
LAST YEAR: Batted .366 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs. Scored 34 runs. All-conference in OK Blue.
COACH'S VIEW: “Kianna had an excellent season for our team. She is one of the best power hitters in West Michigan. Her extra base hits (20) played a big factor in the offensive production of our team over the season. She played multiple positions in the infield and also served as our #2 pitcher. A future college player, you don't have to see her hit…all you have to do is hear it. She is the strongest female athlete in our school's history and that work ethic is also something we see in her softball skills." - Mark Behnke
Hanna Walker
SCHOOL: Saugatuck
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Third base
LAST YEAR: Batted .533 with 49 runs scored and 45 RBIs. She had eight home runs to break the school record.
COACH'S VIEW: "Hanna was a Captain and a team leader, her third year playing Varsity. Broke Saugatuck's home run record." - Chad Burch
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Meet the high school softball players to watch this season
