South Lyon softball pitcher Ava Bradshaw delivers a pitch against rival South Lyon East in the Lakes Valley Conference championship game on May 25, 2022.Jared Purcell | japurcell@mlive.com
(CORRECTION: Coach of the Year was originally omitted when the story published. It has since been added.)
The 2022 high school softball season was provided fans plenty of talented teams to follow in Metro Detroit. The area’s top players put on a show and left lasting memories behind.
In an area of Michigan filled to the brim with softball talent, it is time to recognize the top players from around Metro Detroit.
Below is MLive’s 2022 softball Dream Team from the Metro Detroit area. Congratulations to all those selected.
South Lyon pitcher Ava Bradshaw poses for a photo following practice on May 5, 2022.Jared Purcell | japurcell@mlive.com
Ava Bradshaw, P, South Lyon
Although Bradshaw and South Lyon fell three wins short of defending their state title, Bradshaw was still undeniably dominant this season. The mighty sophomore was named this season’s Gatorade Michigan Softball Player of the Year and put up the numbers to back it up.
On the mound, Bradshaw was a force to be reckoned with once again as she finished with a 32-3 record, bringing her career record to 56-7. Her ERA this season was 0.875 with a WHIP of 0.663 and she struck out 367 of the 784 batters she faced, which is a 46.81 strikeout percentage. All the while, she gave up just 26 earned runs in 208 innings pitched while opponents hit just .138 against her. She threw six no hitters and two perfect games.
At the plate, she hit .388 with 50 hits, six home runs and a team-high 41 RBIs. Once she is eligible for scholarship offers, Bradshaw will likely be flooded with offers from top programs from around the country.
Macomb Dakota’s Megan Nuechterlein (9) pitches the ball during the Division 1 softball state championship game against Allen Park on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The Jaguars won 5-0. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Megan Nuechterlein, P, Macomb Dakota
Nuechterlein’s junior season was another excellent one as she helped lead the Cougars to a runner-up finish in Division 1. On the mound, she had a 0.930 ERA and a 0.703 WHIP with 231 strikeouts in 128 innings of work. She finished the season 16-3 and opponents his only .128 against her this season. Nuechterlein was strong at the plate as well, hitting .361 with five home runs and 34 RBIs. She was named the Total Softball Player of the Year by State Champs! Michigan.
Farmington Hills Mercy softball pitcher Kaitlyn Pallozzi poses for a photo during practice on May 31, 2022.Jared Purcell | japurcell@mlive.com
Kaitlyn Pallozzi, P, Farmington Hills Mercy
Pallozzi had a heck of a freshman season for the Mercy Marlins. In her first start, she tossed a no-hitter. In her second start, she tossed a perfect game in which she struck out all 21 batters. She went on to prove her talent further by compiling a 12-1 record with a 1.08 ERA and 0.684 WHIP in 90.67 innings of work. She struck out 224 of the 338 batters she faced this season as opponents only had a 0.085 batting average against her. She also hit .376 at the plate with 34 RBIs and a pair of home runs.
Allen Park’s Madilyn Ramey (4) catches the ball during the Division 1 softball state championship game against Macomb Dakota on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The Jaguars won 5-0. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Madi Ramey, IF, Allen Park
Ramey’s talent and leadership paid off in a big way for Allen Park as the Jags won the first state title in program history. Ramey was named this season’s Miss Softball winner for a position player by the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association and is commmitted to play at the University of Michigan. She finished this season with a .472 batting average while adding seven home runs -- one of which came in the championship game. She also had 40 RBIs, 43 runs scored and nine stolen bases. Among her 50 hits this season, she went for extra bases on 24 of them and also had nine stolen bases. Aside from her prowess at the plate, Ramey was a superb defender and boasted a .952 fielding percentage while playing at shortstop.
Warren Regina freshman shortstop Abby Hornberger fields a ball as she checks Howell runner during the MHSAA Division 1 softball state championship game on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at Secchia Stadium in East Lansing. (Jake May | MLive.com) Jake May | MLive.com
Abby Hornberger, IF, Warren Regina
Wherever Hornberger went, it was probably a good idea to bring a tape measure. This spring, Hornberger hit near the .500 mark while also launching 18 home runs and knocking in 74 RBIs. Her efforts cemented herself among the top hitters in Michigan. A longtime anchor at shortstop for the Saddlelites, Hornberger will conitnue her softball career in the Ivy League at Princeton next year.
A South Lyon coach congratulates Grace Walters (8) for making it to first base during the Division 1 championship softball game on Saturday, June 19, 2021. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Grace Walters, IF, South Lyon
One of the best hitters in Michigan, the junior was a pitcher’s worst nightmare this season and led South Lyon with a .545 batting average and a team-high 72 hits. She had a slugging percentage that was a whopping .917 while her OPS was 1.525. She knocked in 37 runs while also crossing homeplate herself 66 times. Her 19 doubles and eight home runs were team highs as she totaled 30 extra base hits.
Williams carried a consistent bat with plenty of power for the Trojans this season. Her .512 average in 41 games was paired with a team-high 57 RBIs and 18 doubles. She also led the team with nine home runs and tied for the team lead in walks with 15. Of her 65 hits, 34 of them were extra-base hits.
Izzy Chaput, OF, Farmington Hills Mercy
Chaput was dynamite in the batter’s box this season, seeing her batting average boost from .435 a year ago to .538 this year. She also had an OBP of .594 and an OPS of 1,278. Chaput added 31 RBIs and scored 47 runs as well.
There likely wasn’t a better leadoff hitter in the state this season as Nader was as reliable as could be. The Northwestern commit batted .548 from the leadoff spot this season and compiled 62 hits and 23 RBIs. She also crossed home plate 55 times and added three home runs along the way.
South Lyon’s Emily Johnson (4) catches the ball for an out against Allen Park during the Division 1 championship softball game on Saturday, June 19, 2021. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Emily Johnson, OF, South Lyon
Johnson was a major contributor on offense for the Lions this spring as she batted .458 with 60 hits and 35 RBIs. She also scored 39 runs and struck out just six times in 131 at bats. The junior will be one of many key returners for the Lions next spring.
Trenton’s Olivia Hickman (18) hits the ball during the Division 2 softball state championship game against Stevenson Lakeshore on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The Lancers won 6-2. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Hickman was a solid presence behind the plate and alongside it as she batted .465 this season. With 20 of her 59 hits through 41 games being doubles, that means just more than a third of Hickman’s hits were doubles. She also added three home runs and struck out only nine times in 127 at bats. She will continue her softball career at Lourdes University.
Although Bennett did not return to the mound until June, she still proved more than valuable at first base and at the plate. Bennett once again swatted the ball with authority with a .632 average while piling on 70 RBIs and launching 15 home runs. She also scored 49 runs. In Bennett’s limited time on the mound, the South Carolina commit struck out 49 batters in just 27 innings of work, finishing with an ERA of 1.037.
Allen Park’s Morgan Sizemore (23) takes off her mask after pitching during the Division 1 softball state championship game against Macomb Dakota on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The Jaguars won 5-0. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Morgan Sizemore, Utility, Allen Park
Sizemore may not have overpowered batters, but her stuff was good and she could keep opponents off balance. Putting together a 23-4 record on the mound, she had a 1.602 ERA and a 1.000 fielding percentage. Sizemore was equally valuable in the batter’s box as she hit .410 with six home runs and six doubles.
Allen Park’s Avery Garden (9) swings during the Division 1 softball state championship game against Macomb Dakota on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The Jaguars won 5-0. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Avery Garden, Utility, Allen Park
Garden was a reliable force at the plate for Allen Park’s mighty offense this year. The sophomore led the team in home runs (9) and RBIs (51) while batting .461. Twenty-three of her 47 hits were for extra bases as well. She also led the Jags in Slugging percentage (.892) and in OPS (1.424). She was also 13-0 on the mound and had an ERA of 1.566. She also had a fielding percentage of .983.
Allen Park’s head softball coach Michael Kish calls the team in during the Division 1 softball state championship game against Macomb Dakota on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The Jaguars won 5-0. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com
Coach of the Year: Michael Kish, Allen Park
It took Kish three years as a head coach at Allen Park to make history. After falling short in the Division 1 championship game in 2021, Kish managed to bring his squad all the back to the title game and complete the job and give Allen Park its first state championship. With just four seniors on his squad, Kish made sure his girls never took their eyes off the prize as Allen Park was ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 for a majority of the season.
South Lyon East softball senior Delaney Lis delivers a pitch during a 9-2 win over Dearborn Divine Child on June 1, 2021.Jared Purcell | japurcell@mlive.com
Lola Bagby, P, Detroit Country Day
Asia Barbato, P, Farmington Hills Mercy
Sabrina Lee, P, Rochester Adams
Delaney Lis, P, South Lyon East
Brittani Mutter, P, Walled Lake Northern
Carsyn Roehrig, P, Riverview Gabriel Richard
Allison Vogt, P, New Baltimore Anchor Bay
Kayla Bane, IF, New Baltimore Anchor Bay
Taylor Behrendt, IF, Walled Lake Northern
Britain Beshears, IF, Walled Lake Central
Rachel Cairo, IF, Southfield Christian
Kiley Carr, IF, Allen Park
Clarice Chapaton, IF, Warren Fitzgerald
Shannon Dame, IF, Grosse Pointe South
Claire Loveland, IF, South Lyon East
Lauren Fox, IF Walled Lake Northern
Madison Hool, IF, Allen Park
Addi Kopp, IF, Flat Rock
Angela Petrovitch, IF, Macomb Dakota
Brooklyn Plitz, IF, Macomb Dakota
Emma Shimizu, IF, Gibraltar Carlson
Kendall Spivey, IF, Farmington Hills Mercy
Sydney Stapf, IF, West Bloomfield
Cece Dudek, OF, South Lyon
Eliana Eiland, OF, Walled Lake Central
Jenna Holt, OF, Warren Regina
Deanna Hyde, OF, New Baltimore Anchor Bay
Ella McDonald, OF, Rochester Adams
Caitlyn Mullins, OF, Walled Lake Northern
Izzy Nooe, OF, South Lyon
Mak Sitarski, OF, Allen Park
Taylor Carraway, C, Warren Cousino
Halie Furkas, C, Gibraltar Carlson
Molly Hool, C, Allen Park
Jordan Smith, C, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Avery Case, Utility, Lake Orion
Harley Limberger, Utility, Center Line
Gracie Maloney, Utility, Macomb Dakota
Emma Sic, Utility, New Boston Huron
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