2025 Highland County Softball Preview

HILLSBORO LADY INDIANS
Frontier Athletic Conference (FAC)
Head Coach: Gary Breeden (4th season)
2024 Overall Record: 19-5 overall (10-0 FAC)
Last Conference Championship: 2024 (FAC)

The Hillsboro Lady Indians have been at the top of the mountain in the Frontier Athletic Conference for the past four seasons, winning 40 consecutive games in the FAC and four championships from 2021-24.

Hillsboro is coached by Gary Breeden, who is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Lady Indians, and this season his team is poised to battle for a fifth consecutive FAC championship with even larger goals in mind for the program.

The Lady Indians’ team this season consists of seniors Addie Huff, Mylea Fridley, Camryn Spruell, Reagan Clemons, Rhianna Clemons, Isabelle Brunck, Madison Dearmon and Brylee Thornburgh.

Juniors this season for HHS are Chloe Roberts and Mary Dietrick. The sophomores are Paisley Zink, Arianna Evans and Rilynn Swisshelm. The freshman class is Harper Conrad, Madison Karnes, Bella Morton, Camden Stroud, Emory Zornes, Addley Miller and Leah Vance.

Last season (2024) the Lady Indians finished 19-5 overall (10-0 in the FAC), falling to Circleville in the district semifinals by a 6-4 score at Ohio University. Two seasons ago, HHS lost to Unioto in the district finals, so this season the Lady Imdians are looking to return for redemption in the district round.

Getting to that point of the season, Hillsboro will look to senior starting pitcher and batter Camryn Spruell, who was an All-Ohio selection the past two seasons.

The Division I commit (Bowling Green), Spruell was selected honorable mention All-Ohio last season in Division II for her pitching prowess. In ’24, Spruell had a 0.67 ERA in 148.1 innings pitched. Spruell also faced 554 batters where she struck out 338 batters a season ago, plus she allowed only 14 runs. As a junior, Spruell kept the opposing batters to a .123 average while finishing with an 18-3 record in the circle.

At the plate, Spruell was just as strong with 94 plate appearances (71 at-bats), finishing last season with a .617 on-base percentage, a 1.659 slugging percentage, 41 RBI, 35 hits, 33 runs, 11 home runs and six doubles.

Addie Huff played in 24 games in ’24, having 83 plate appearances (79 at-bats), with a .291 BA, .317 OBP, .481 SLG, with 23 hits (five doubles), two triples, two home runs, 23 RBI, 12 runs, three walks and one SAC.  

The Lady Indians also have Mylea Fridley returning, and last season she had 91 at-bats (105 plate appearances) where she battled .440 with a .495 OBP, a .549 SLG, 36 hits (six doubles, one home run), 13 RBI, 36 runs, nine walks and three SAC.

Chloe Roberts finished last season with 81 at-bats, and collected a .333 BA, a .375 OBP, a .617 SLG, 27 hits (six doubles, one triple, five home runs), 24 RBI, 18 runs, five walks and a SAC.

Mary Dietrick ended last season with 23 at-bats where she had a .304 average, with a .333 OBP, a .304 SLG, seven hits, eight runs and one walk.

Isabelle Brunck last season as a junior had a .291 BA (79 at-bats) with a .300 OBP, .304 SLG, 23 hits (one double), eight RBI, eight runs and one walk.

Reagan Clemons ended the ’24 season with a .226 BA in 31 at-bats with a .324 OBP,  a .258 SLG, seven hits (one double), five RBI, six runs and four walks. As the catcher, Clemons had a 1.000 fielding percentage in 266 chances with five assists and 261 putouts, as she had no errors.

The Lady Indians’ non-conference schedule includes: Rock Hill Classic, Eastern, Portsmouth Notre Dame (twice), Fairfield, Unioto, Beavercreek, Logan Elm, Circleville Invitational, Westfall, Symmes Valley, Georgetown, Clinton-Massie and Williamsburg.

Hillsboro begins their 2025 season Saturday, March 22 on the road at the Rock Hill Classic, where they will play a doubleheader. Their first home game is Tuesday, March 25 against the Eastern Warriors at HHS.

__________

MCCLAIN LADY TIGERS
Frontier Athletic Conference (FAC)
Head Coach: Molly Stegbauer (2nd season)
2024 Overall Record: 7-14 overall (2-8 FAC)
Last Conference Championship: 2012 (SCOL)

The McClain Lady Tigers are wanting to continue to build their program with head coach Molly Stegbauer leading the team for a second consecutive season.

McClain last season had seven wins (7-14 overall), and playing in the tough Frontier Athletic Conference, they showed improvement from the start of the season to the completion of 2024.

Entering the 2025 season, the Lady Tigers have five seniors, six juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen on their team, starting with seniors Kenzie Wise, Lindsey Hutchinson, Sarah Easter, Peyton Worthen and Abbie Lovett.

Juniors for MHS included Leah Lovett, Olivia Stegbauer, Brie Cummins, Hayley Worthen, Delainey Goddard and Emma Marsh. The sophomores are Amaya Ryan, Milla Everetts and Kyndee Williams, while the freshmen class includes Cami Gall, Emma Posey and Kambriah Tomlin.

Leah Lovett was the leader for MHS in batting average at .468 in 62 at-bats (71 plate appearances) in 19 games. Lovett also had a .535 OBP, .806 SLG, 29 hits (11 doubles, two triples, two home runs), 23 RBI, 14 runs and seven walks.

Olivia Stegbauer last season in 21 games (78 plate appearances, 68 at-bats) finished with a .426 BA, with qa .500 OBP, a .647 SLG, 29 hits (seven doubles, one triple, two home runs), 19 RBI, 22 runs, 10 walks and four steals.

Brie Cummins ended the ’24 season with 21 games played (80 PA, 73 at-bats), collecting a .411 BA with an OBP of .463 and a .726 SLG. She also had 30 hits (10 doubles, two triples, three home runs), with 18 RBI, 29 runs, seven walks and two steals.

Amaya Ryan during her freshman season last year finished with a .280 BA in 14 games (33 PA, 25 at-bats), all while gaining a .455 OBP and .400 SLG. She also finished the season with seven hits (three doubles), five RBI, six runs, five walks, three HBP and two steals.

Lindsey Hutchinson played in 21 games a season ago, where in 80 plate appearances (73 at-bats) she totaled a .260 BA, with a .325 OBP, a .397 SLG, 19 hits (10 doubles), nine RBI, 24 runs, five walks, two HBP and two steals.

Kenzie Wise finished the ’24 season with a .234 BA, while also having a .315 OBP and .406 SLG in 73 plate appearances (64 at-bats). Wise last season also had 15 hits (five doubles, two home runs) with 18 RBI, 15 runs, six walks, two HBP, one sacrifice fly and five steals.

Sarah Easter for MHS a season ago played in 20 games (52 PA, 47 at-bats), ending the year with a .213 BA where she had a . 287 OBP and a .255 SLG. She totaled 10 hits (two doubles), four RBI, five runs, four walks, one SAC and one steal.

The ‘25 Lady Tigers’ non-conference schedule includes games against Unioto, Fairfield Union, Waverly, Lynchburg-Clay, Zane Trace, Logan Elm, Blanchester, North Adams, Western Brown and Paint Valley.

McClain begins their 2025 season Monday, March 24 at home (Mitchell Park at Daryle Unger Field) vs. Unioto at 5 p.m.

__________

LYNCHBURG-CLAY LADY MUSTANGS
Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC)
Head Coach: Brad Griffith (3rd season)
2024 Overall Record: 10-12 overall (8-5 SHAC)
Last Conference Championship: 2024 (SHAC Div. I)

After winning a Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division I championship last season and winning at least a share of the title the past two years, the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs are back on the softball diamond looking for a three-peat in their conference championship tally.

The Lady Mustangs are coached by Brad Griffith, entering his third season, and the Lady Mustangs have one senior, which is Morgan Baker.

LC’s juniors for 2025 are Sophia Michael, Reese Ruble, Avery Blakenship, Caitlyn Collins, Kami Collins, Audrey Barry and Noel Barnhill.

There are three sophomores on the Lady Mustangs’ roster in ’25, and they include Sadie Kuipers, Baylee McClain and Jasmine Brown. The two freshmen for LCHS are Audrey Roberts and Lily Ferguson.

The Lady Mustangs are coming off a 10-12 overall record, and they won the SHAC Div. I title with an 8-5 record in their conference games.

Caitlyn Collins last season played in 21 games, where she had 70 plate appearances (61 at-bats), leading the team with a .377 batting average. She also had a season that included a .449 on-base percentage and a .574 slugging percentage. Collins totaled 23 hits a season ago with eight doubles and two triples. She also collected 10 RBI, scored 22 runs, walked eight times, had one SAC and finished with 12 steals.

Noel Barnhill ended the ’24 season with 61 at-bats (70 PA) in 18 games, batting .340 with a .375 OBP and .453 SLG. Barnhill collected 18 hits (six doubles), five RBI and three walks. Barnhill in the circle pitched 96 innings (18 games), where she had a 2.33 ERA and 155 strikeouts.  

Also returning to LCHS is Sophia Michael who in ’24 batted .338 in 22 games (75 PA, 65 at-bats), where she also compiled a .411 OBP and a .400 SLG. She also finished the ’24 season with 22 hits (four doubles) with six RBI, 12 runs, eight walks, two SAC and three steals.

Reese Ruble last season played in 22 games, ending the season with a .200 BA, in 30 at-bats (34 PA), as she also had a .273 OBP and .300 SLG. Ruble also had six hits, including a double and a triple, with three RBI, 12 runs, three HBP, one SAC and seven steals.

Avery Blankenship returns this season after having a ’24 campaign where she played in 11 games and totaled four hits with two doubles and four RBI.

Jasmine Brown finished last season with 21 games played, where she had 53 at-bats (65 PA) with a .226 BA, .359 OBP, .283 SLG, 12 hits (three doubles), three RBI, 12 runs, 11 walks, one SAC and nine steals. In the circle last season, Brown pitched 41.1 innings (13 games) with 29 strikeouts.

Kami Collins finished last season with a .226 BA, .317 OBP and a .301 SLG. She also totaled 12 hits (two doubles, one triple), two RBI, nine runs, six walks, one HBP and five steals.

Morgan Baker finished the ’24 season with 17 games played as she totaled 50 plate appearances (49 at-bats), while having a .224 BA, .240 OBP, a .367 SLG. Baker also had 11 hits (four doubles, one home run), eight RBI, seven runs, one walk and three steals.

Baylee McClain returns to LCHS with a ’24 season that included 15 games played, 37 PA, 35 at-bats, six hits (one double, one triple, one home run), three RBI, five runs, two walks and three steals.

Avery Blankenship played in 11 games where she finished with four hits (two doubles), four RBI, one run, three walks, one HBP, one SAC and one steal.

LCHS has a non-conference schedule this season that includes Georgetown, Blanchester, South Webster, Miami Trace, Huntington, McClain, East Clinton, Westfall, Bethel-Tate and Zane Trace.

LCHS opens the ’25 season Saturday, March 22 at home in a doubleheader against Georgetown at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

__________

FAIRFIELD LADY LIONS
Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC)
Head Coach: Ellen Binegar (2nd season)
2023 Overall Record: 19-8 (11-2 SHAC, Div. II)
Last Conference Championship: 2024 (SHAC co-champions, Div. II)

The Fairfield Lady Lions return to the softball diamond for a 2025 season where they have high expectations, as last season they had 19 wins and played in the district finals where they lost to Wheelersburg 15-2. FHS is coached by Ellen Binegar, who is entering her second season at the helm of the Lady Lions.

FHS lost all but four starters to graduation from last season, and this year they have two seniors, with those players being Jobey Hattan and Carly Sanders.

Juniors for 2025 are Kaitlyn Eidenier and Rilee Quickle.

The sophomore class consists of seven players, and they are Alyssa Bales, Ally Maynard, Whitlee Morrow, Jorgia Smith, Chloe Spangler, Ava White and Daphne Butts.

Freshmen for FHS are Kelsie Crowder, Jorja May and Avery Morrow.

The Lady Lions lost their top pitcher from last season (and All-Ohio selection) Caitlyn Quickle, who now pitches for Division I Valparaiso, and they also lost their top home run hitter, Emmi Vance, who hit nine homers a season ago (38 hits, 47 RBI) for the program record. Quickle was 15-6 last season with 170 strikeouts and a 2.73 ERA. She also led the team in batting average at .566 with 45 hits and 48 RBI.

Looking to the ’25 season, the top returning player is Jobey Hattan, who in 27 games a season ago had 92 at-bats where she collected 45 hits (six doubles, three home runs), 46 runs, 26 RBI, three HBP, a .489 batting average, .652 slugging percentage and 26 steals.

Rilee Quickle, who will also be the starting pitcher, at the plate a season ago had 91 at-bats in 27 games, collecting 40 hits (11 doubles, one home run), 37 runs, 23 RBI, five HBP, .440 BA, .593 SLG, and she had a .643 average with runners in scoring position. Quickle also totaled 11 steals.

Carly Sanders in ’24 also played in 27 games, finishing with a .386 BA and a .651 SLG. She also had 83 at-bats, with 26 runs, 32 hits (five doubles, one triple, five home runs), 33 RBI, three HBP and 11 steals.

Ally Maynard in ‘23 games finished with 13 hits, 15 runs, six doubles, 13 RBI, four HBP, a .245 BA, a .358 SLG and five steals.

Alyssa Bales finished last season with 15 games played where she totaled five runs, three hits, one double, three RBI and three steals.

Fairfield’s non-conference schedule includes games against Wilmington, Greeneview, Portsmouth Clay, Waverly, Adena, Hillsboro, Clinton-Massie, Western Latham, Paint Valley, Williamsburg, East Clinton, Unioto and Miami Trace.

The Lady Lions start their season Saturday, March 22 on the road against Wilmington at 1 p.m.

–––––––

WHITEOAK LADY WILDCATS
Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC)
Head Coach: Jeremy Parr (2nd season)
2024 Overall Record: 7-13 (3-10 SHAC, Div. II)
Last Conference Championship: 2015 (SHAC, Div. II)

The Whiteoak Lady Wildcats are set to start the 2025 season, and in doing so they are looking for improvement to where they finished in the standings last season.

WHS is coming off a 7-13 overall record where they were 3-10 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division II standings. Coached by Jeremy Parr for a second consecutive season, the Lady ’Cats have four seniors, one junior, three sophomores and three freshmen on their roster.

Seniors on the roster for 2025 are Elly McMullen, Lily Leston, Kylee Hamm and Janelle Clift.

The lone junior for WHS is Madison Davidson. Sophomores this season for Whiteoak include Charli Hauke, Addy Hauke and Kylee Ruark. The freshmen are Kiley Mitchell, Oakley Engle and Jada Combs.

Kylee Hamm in ’24 finished with a .362 batting average in 16 games and 47 at-bats. Hamm scored nine runs and had 17 hits with five doubles, one triple and two home runs. She also collected 14 RBI and six steals.

Lily Leston as a junior last year played in 20 games where she had 64 at-bats, finishing with a .281 BA, where she collected nine runs, 18 hits (four doubles, one triple), eight RBI and three steals, plus she had a .333 OBP. In the circle a season ago, Leston pitched in nine games (32.1 IP) where she had 13 strikeouts.

Elly McMullen in ’24 played in 19 games where she had 48 at-bats, and her season totals included five runs, six hits, one double and one RBI.

Kylee Ruark in ’24 played in eight games where she collected two hits and one steal.

Charli Hauke in her first varsity season a year ago played in 15 games, where she had 27 at-bats and in those games she had five hits, four runs, four RBI and two steals.

Janelle Clift last season for the Lady ‘Cats played in 19 games where she had 43 at-bats and collected five runs and six hits.

Madison Davidson had 54 at-bats in 20 games last season where she collected 10 hits, three runs, one double, four RBI and two steals.

Addy Hauke in 2024 had 10 at-bats in 14 games where she finished with two runs, and two RBI.

Whiteoak’s non-conference schedule consists of games against Bethel-Tate, Georgetown, Williamsburg, Paint Valley, Eastern Pike, Portsmouth Clay and East Clinton.

Whiteoak begins their 2025 season Monday, March 24 on the road against Bethel-Tate.

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.