Freshmen are continuing to fill big roles for Arizona's high school softball varsity programs. 

This year, 48 freshmen are totting .400 or better batting averages, according to maxpreps. Last year, 73 freshmen batted .400 or better.  

On the mound, five Arizona freshmen pitchers are sporting earned run averages lower than 2.00, and if it remains that way throughout the season, it'll be an all-time high since maxpreps started keeping track of that stat in 2008. Not surprisingly, some of those talented freshmen are starring for some of this year's state title contenders.

azpreps365.com caught up with some of those teams this week. 

Softball notes  

Arcadia (22-3): Emily Ingles is sure making up for missing last season with a back injury. The senior is 22-1 with 214 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings and locating the ball well this season, according to her coach. Helping Ingles feel back at home in the circle is sophomore catcher Mae Forshey (.338 ave., 21 RBI). With a .722 batting average, sophomore Haley Denning’s fractured wrist has more than just healed. The Utah-commit missed a couple of games at the start of the season due to the injury, suffered during the soccer season. Arcadia doesn’t tend to give up many runs, but it’s scoring them in bunches recently thanks to a lineup that features UCLA-sophomore commit Kelly Flynn, Regan Kerr and Morgan Ash, who are each hitting over .450. Flynn also has 16 of the team’s 52 stolen bases. “Senior Alexis Harger (.370 ave.) and junior Jessie Allen (.330 ave.) always seem to get a much needed hit at the bottom of the order, which really has been the difference,” coach Jason Foster said. “We’ve been pretty solid 1-9 so far, and I have confidence in everyone on our bench to come in and get a big hit or play solid defense.”  

Canyon del Oro (20-1-1): Several players are stepping up for the perennial power. Among the leaders: AJ Kaiser (.590 ave.), OF Carli Campbell (.423 ave.), P Randi Longville (8-1), and Fr. P Halle Morris (7-0, 1 K per inning). Defensively, coach Kelly Fowler highlighted the play of corner infielders Jenna Martinez and Arianna Acedo. A couple of lefty hitters, Sr. Brenna Greisser (.448 ave. after 38 plate appearances) and So. Ellessa Bonstrom (.465 ave. after 54 plate appearances), are also chipping in. The team was the only non-California squad participating in the Michelle Carew Tournament in Anaheim this week. Consistent pitching and hitting, solid defense and team chemistry are the reasons for this year’s success, Fowler said.

Chandler Prep (18-1): Chandler Prep starts only one senior, but the youngsters on this team are no pushovers. Chandler Prep is off to its best start partly because of the freshmen and sophomores in the program. But there’s a senior, captain Ashley Peake, and a junior, Tatum Vilaboy, who are representing the upperclassmen well. Vilaboy’s bat (.556 ave.) and pitching arm (118 K’s, 1.76 K’s per inning) are lethal. Peak (.348 ave., 22 RBI) is a vocal leader in the dugout, coach Frank Peake said. Sophomores Paige Cadien (.667 ave., .726 OBP) and Elisa Evans (.556 ave.) are the youngsters to look out for. “This team has battled already this season through illness and injury and continues to be a solid group,” Frank said. “None of it would be possible without the solid support of our coaching staff (Valerie Serpico, Martin Vilaboy, Jill Gondeck). Their experience as college players and the club system has been fantastic to our players’ development.”

Desert Ridge (17-7): Leah Molina’s intensity and ability to get on base as the team’s leadoff hitter is rubbing off on her teammates, her coach said. The speedy junior is hitting .541 and is third on the team with 38 runs. Freshman Shaylee Ackerman and senior Bailey Klitzke have struck out a combined 182 batters they’ve faced in 143 innings, and they are each hitting .444. Ackerman also leads the team with eight home runs and 30 RBI’s. Making sure Ackerman, Klitzke and the rest of the team are on their game is the team’s on-the-field coach, catcher Sydney Broderick. The vocal leader is batting .373. Another high-energy player who is having a productive season at the plate and defensively is shortstop Alyssa Lyon (.365 ave.). “They are very supportive of one another and have come together as a team,” coach Jennifer Broderick said.      

Hamilton (21-4): “Our success this year is due to having many talented players who have bought in to our team first mentality,” coach Rocky Parra said. “We are very well-balanced, with solid defense, very good consistent hitting, exceptional speed and four pitchers who I can rotate without skipping a beat.” Cheyenne Noli, Natalie Montgomery, Abby Anderson and Madison Seigworth had a combined 1.82 ERA and were averaging more than one strikeout per inning and less than one walk every four innings. At the plate, Hamilton has hit 23 home runs, and its team batting average is .430. The team’s stat leaders are Karlee Arnold (.537 ave., 6 HRs), Taylor Gindelsperger (.523 ave, 4 HRs), Ali Ashner (.500 ave.), Kim Slaughter (.484 ave., 3 home runs), and Bella Loomis (13 of team’s 33 stolen bases). Macy Simmons, Val Holguin and Nicole Spykstra are also each hitting over .400 and have combined to hit 10 home runs. Twelve of the players already verbally committed to a college and two more are expected to make announcements as well.

Poston Butte (17-4): After a productive 2014-15 season, Jr. SS Megan Clark and Sr. 2B Kaily Candell continue to produce at the plate and defensively for Poston Butte. This year, Clark is hitting .443 with 35 RBI’s and four home runs. Her range, athleticism, quickness and speed help make her one of the state’s top defensive players, coach Don Baker said. Candell is headed to national junior college softball power Phoenix College next season. The leadoff hitter leads D-III with 24 walks and ranks in the top-10 with 29 runs. She carries a team-high .973 fielding percentage and similar fielding skills as her middle infielder partner, Clark. The underclassmen are also delivering for Poston Butte. Poston Butte has a bright future with So. Taylor Strupp (7-3, 1.89 ERA, 80 K’s in 63 innings) and freshman Lindsay Lopez (.75 ERA, 8-1, 76 K’s in 56 innings). Lopez’s .507 batting average, 38 RBI’s and six home runs lead the team. Freshmen 3B Amanda Pachello (.436 ave.) and CF Kayla Faust (.346 ave.) also are stepping up in their first year. Another first-year varsity player, sophomore catcher Skyler Jenkins, is doing a good job of handling two pitchers and patrolling her area, her coach said. Senior utility player Alexis Faust (.383 ave.) has improved her batting average by more than 100 points compared to last year. “Overall, the success of the team is attributed to the hard work and commitment by each of the players on the roster,” Baker said. “In addition, the team chemistry is outstanding.”       

Xavier (12-3): First-year coach Carrie Markham’s seniors are steering the program toward a successful season. Leading the charge are seniors Becky Ducar (.460 ave.), Emily Richards (.537 ave., 5-1, 35 K’s after 31 innings), Caitlyn Dickman (.356 ave, 1.17 ERA, 6-0), and the very quick Megan Donahey (.540 ave.). Donahey is headed to Princeton next year, and Ducar and Dickman are Villanova bound. Versatile junior OF Annamarie Hartman (.404 ave) also is stepping up.