Season preview: Lexington Catholic, Lafayette appear tops in softball. Who else can challenge?

Lexington Catholic set the standard for softball in the city last season by winning the 11th Region championship and finishing as state runner-up.

Much of that No. 4 Knights team returns, but will face a challenge as always from Lexington’s seven other teams, including No. 9 Lafayette, and some region contenders outside the Fayette County line.

Here’s a look at the Lexington softball landscape in order of teams’ preseason coaches’ ranking or approximate finish last season with notes on some of each team’s top returning players and newcomers highlighted by their coaches. Statistics are from last season.

LEXINGTON CATHOLIC

Last season: 30-7. 43rd District runner-up. 11th Region champion. State runner-up.

Preseason rank: No. 4.

This year’s start: 0-2.

Big hitters: Abby Hammond RHP, So. (.514 AVG, 33 R, 41 RBI, 35 BB, 12 HR); Lucy Nash, C, Sr. (.394 AVG, 35 R, 19 RBI, 10 SB); Ava Emmert, 3B, Jr. (.352 AVG, 25 R, 41 RBI, 3 HR); Kinley Willoughby, UTIL, Jr. (.362, AVG, 24 R, 21 RBI, 2 HR).

In the circle: Hammond (30-6, 0.75 ERA, 333 K).

Notes: Hammond was the 2022 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year as a freshman. Coach Emery Emmert expects seniors Raleigh Winton and Tatum Dunn to be “stepping into the spotlight.” Freshman slap-hitter Camden Perry is expected to make an impact. Lucy Nash moves from center to catcher for her senior year.

Coach Emmert says: “(Hammond) will be better than ever. Her work ethic is amazing. Offensively, we expect an uptick in production from Abby, Kinley Willoughby, Lucy Nash, Lydia Kennedy, Caitlyn Kelley and Lauren Kelley. Ava Emmert is set to have a big year at the plate and in the field.”

LAFAYETTE

Last season: 27-10. 43rd District champion. 11th Region runner-up.

Preseason rank: No. 9.

This year’s start: 1-0.

Big hitters: Aniyah White 3B/SS, Sr. (.363 AVG, 31 R, 25 RBI, 22 SB); Claire Cronan LHP/1B, Sr. (.358 AVG, 20 R, 16 RBI, 1 HR); Leah Holland 1B/RHP, Sr. (.274 AVG, 13 R, 23 RBI, 5 HR); Trinity Bridges RHP/1B, Sr. (.298 AVG, 15 R, 27 RBI, 8 HR).

In the circle: Bridges (13-5, 1.43 ERA, 185 K, 2 SV); Cronan (7-2, 1.35 ERA, 103 K, 3 SV); Holland (7-3, 3.55 ERA, 65 K).

Notes: Senior infielder Whitney “Dani” Brown is also a boxer on the USA Junior National Team. Coach Dan Grantz believes Nora Mack is “one of the top catchers in the state”; White “has a great mix of speed and fast hands”; Cronan is a lefty “with tons of power”; Bridges “has found home run power at the plate.”

College commitments: Bridges (Transylvania); Cronan (Georgetown College); Leah Holland (Campbellsville); Olivia Planck (Hanover College); White (Cumberlands).

Coach Dan Grantz says: “We have eight seniors this year with experience in both the regional and state tournaments returning and three senior pitchers available in the circle and healthy again.”

BRYAN STATION

Last season: 18-16. 42nd District runner-up.

This year’s start: 4-0.

Big hitters: Morgan Williams OF, Sr. (.368 AVG, 30 R, 15 RBI, 1 HR, 30 SB); Tiahna Bowman, INF, So. (.364 AVG, 31 R, 25 RBI, 5 HR, 15 SB); Brooke Weathers, 1B/3B, So. (.411 AVG, 16 R, 24 RBI, 5 HR); Sydney Webster, C, Sr. (.434 AVG, 9 R, 18 RBI, 5 HR); Trinity Campbell, OF, Sr. (.359 AVG, 25 R, 19 RBI, 19 SB).

In the circle: Karsyn Rockvoan RHP, Fr. (13-12, 3.97 ERA, 240 K, 1 SV); Maya Meads RHP/INF, Sr. (4-3, 6.95 ERA, 63 K, 1 SV).

Notes: The Defenders return four seniors who were a major part of last season’s success along with most of the 2022 lineup. Williams is the first Bryan Station player under Coach Hector Urbaneja, to sign with an NCAA Division I program.

College commitments: Williams (Bellarmine); Maya Meads (Berea).

Coach Urbaneja says: “Rockvoan is working hard to have her best pitching year yet. She is stronger and more mature. … We have been working hard on our culture and hopefully it will click at the right time.”

TATES CREEK

Last season: 16-14.

This year’s start: 3-1.

Big hitters: Tinley Easton, UTIL, Jr. (.400 AVG, 48 R, 39 RBI, 10 HR); Morgan Short, INF, Sr. (.330 AVG, 20 R, 16 RBI); Mariah Morton, OF, Sr. (.250 AVG, 23 R, 11 RBI); Megan Miller, INF/P, Jr. (.333 AVG, 18 R, 15 RBI).

In the circle: Kalissa Mitchell INF/P, Jr. (2-3, 4.32 ERA, 9 K); Alexis Sempsrott P, 7th (first season).

Notes: A nagging hamstring injury limited Kentucky commit Peyton Plotts to 12 games last season, but she came on late in the season to score 13 runs and knock in 16 with two home runs while hitting .308.

College commitments: Plotts (Kentucky); Easton (Minnesota).

Coach Michael Thomas says: “We are going to be very competitive and really young at the pitching position, overall we should compete for districts.”

FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Last season: 17-17.

This year’s start: 1-1.

Big hitters: Jarynn Bowman 2B, 8th (.300 AVG, 25 R, 11 RBI, 1 HR); Aaliyah Long SS, Jr. (.295 AVG, 21 R, 17 RBI, 2 HR); Jordan Bowman, CF, Jr. (.273 AVG, 16 R, 11 RBI, 2 HR, 23 SB); Chloe Hartlep, P, So. (.233 AVG, 14 R, 10 RBI, 1 HR).

In the circle: Hartlep (5-11, 5.46 ERA, 92 K).

Notes: Boys’ soccer coach Omar Shalash was announced as the interim softball coach Wednesday after the resignation of Larry McCullough. The Broncos do not have a senior this season. The bulk of the lineup is eight freshmen and six sophomores.

HENRY CLAY

Last season: 14-20.

This year’s start: 3-1.

Big hitters: Joanna Yates, UTIL, Fr. (.358 AVG, 32 R, 3 RBI, 23 SB); Armani Happy, C/CF, So. (.330 AVG, 20 R, 16 RBI, 1 HR); Anna Webb, 3B, Sr. (.291 AVG, 20 R, 32 RBI, 5 HR); Haley McGuire, 1B/3B/RHP, 8th (.292 AVG, 11 R, 21 RBI, 3 HR).

In the circle: Ella Smith, 1B/P, Fr. (12-18, 3.97 ERA, 121 K); McGuire (2-2, 7.46 ERA, 31 K, 1 SV).

Notes: Henry Clay started five middle-schoolers last year and remains a young team. Last season’s 14 wins were the most for the Blue Devils since 2016.

Coach Tim McCory says: “Our pitching is getting better and we can play solid defense. … We are looking to improve on last season in all areas as we grow as a team. We are young, but we are talented. We have to improve our softball IQ. When we focus we are tough to handle.”

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

Last season: 5-19.

This year’s start: 1-2.

Big hitters: Tatum Golden, C, So. (.419 AVG, 19 R, 5 RBI); Samantha Dixon, OF, 8th (.269 AVG, 8 R, 14 RBI); Caroline Schweighardt, SS, Sr. (.246 AVG, 16 R, 11 RBI).

In the circle: Noelle Davis, P, 7th (no stats from last season); Courtney Dierson P, Fr. (1 IP last season, 2K).

Notes: The Bulldogs are another young team with only two seniors and no juniors. Three sophomores, four freshmen and four middle-schoolers fill out the roster. Caroline Schweighardt, a senior, and Sophia Schweighardt, an eighth-grader, are the fourth and fifth Schweighardts to play softball for Dunbar. Coach Shelby Shanks did not offer any comments about the season.

LEXINGTON CHRISTIAN

Last season: 9-14.

This year’s start: 0-2.

Big hitters: Anna Gorshak, C, So. (.441 AVG, 24 R, 24 RBI, 6 HR); Hailey Jude UTIL, 8th (.357 AVG, 23 R, 18 RBI); Mackenzie Waits, INF, Fr. (.338 AVG, 19 R, 16 RBI).

In the circle: Sabrina Sizemore, P, Fr. (9-11, 6.55 ERA, 115 K).

Notes: The Eagles return seven starters, but no seniors to this year’s team. They have one junior.

Coach Stephon Brown says: “Sabrina Sizemore will hold down our pitching this season as well as a couple of seventh-graders, Ella Deaton and Carrington Clark. … Some other strong hitters to look out for are Hailey Jude and Avery Leach.”