As May approaches and the weather heats up, letâs take a look at some of the scorching hot offenses in DII softball. Most of these lineups have been barreling up since the season opened in February, and have a chance to make some noise down the stretch into tournament play.
There are a lot of great teams in DII softball, each with their own signature ways of winning games. The following teams do it at the plate, finding themselves among the top five in the division in multiple offensive categories. The following offenses all have something in common: they are each top ten in at least three offensive categories in DII softball.
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đŁ DII softball's potent offensesđŁ
(Note: All stats from games played to April 18)
Mississippi College
The Choctaws are having a monumental season and are one of the best offenses in all the land. Now with 33 wins, Mississippi College has three players hitting above .400 (McCall Lee, Shelby Samples, and Kamryn Eaton) and all seven hitters that have played in every game this season have an OPS higher than 1.000. The Choctaws' .368 batting average, scoring average, home runs per game (1.65), and .642 slugging percentage are all top-five marks in the division. Armed with a solid staff in the circle, this squad has outscored its opponents by nearly 200 runs this year.
Colorado Mesa
Talk about a team that likes to hit. The Mavericks are in DII softballâs top 10 in batting average (.350), home runs (79 and 1.84 per game), doubles (85), and slugging percentage (.641). This lineup has seven everyday players hitting .350 or better and four sluggers with double-digit home runs. Ashley Bradford and Rylee Crouch are leading the way. Crouch is currently tied atop the DII softball leaders in home runs with 19, while Bradford is fifth in the RMAC with a .407 batting average. Both players have an OPS north of 1.200 as well. The two can rake.
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North Georgia
Itâs probably not a surprise that a team that spent five weeks in a row as the No. 1 team in the land with an absurd 44-4 record has a potent offense. The Nighthawks .361 batting average is top-five in DII, and their 388 runs scored are the most in DII. With a bevy of speedsters in the Nighthawks offensive arsenal, they also are top 10 in DII softball with 115 stolen bases as seven players have at least 10 stolen bases. Sydney Blair leads the team with a sparkling .440 batting average, while Hannah Forehand leads the slugging department with 12 homers. Sophie Mooney does it all well, hitting .423 with 10 doubles, eight home runs, and 10 stolen bases.
Lane
Lane is enjoying a breakout season, now sitting at 32-9. While the pitching has been good (the Dragons pitchers have a combined 2.12 ERA and 1.15 WHIP) this is also one of the top-scoring teams in DII softball. They have four hitters in Kaylee Stinnett, Millay Lambert and the wonder twin duo of Shanna and Shawna McNair hitting over .400 and 16 hitters that have played at least 10 games are hitting above .300. Thus, it probably is unsurprising at this point that Lane leads DII softball in hitting and is second in scoring with 8.6 runs per game, scoring 344 runs overall. Lane also leads DII softball with a .463 on base percentage, which certainly helps scoring all those runs.
West Alabama
The Tigers have a nice blend of big bats and quick feet, finding themselves in the top 5 in DII softball in home runs per game, slugging percentage, and stolen bases per game. The Tigers have not one, but two hitters in the top five for homers with LP Trammell slugging 18 so far (and leading the Gulf South Conference in slugging percentage) and Ann Marie Stanbridge right behind her with 17. On the base paths, Kelsie Gilliam is tied for third in the division with 46 stolen bases on 48 attempts.
Francis Marion
The Patriots have 35 wins â the most since 2010 mind you â and it is because of this run-scoring machine they call a lineup. Francis Marion finds itself in the top five in DII softball in hitting (.382), slugging percentage (.592). on base percentage (.453), and scoring (8.30 runs per game) and their 85 doubles are a top-10 mark as well to round out one of the more complete offenses. Individually, Megan Matsil leads the team in hitting, one of three players hitting .430 or better, and Taylor Watford leads the power surge at the plate with a team-high 11 home runs. Fourteen hitters that have appeared in at least 16 games are hitting .328 or higher, and they have a pair of base thieves (Makayla Cuthbertson and Madalyn White) that have 20 stolen bases. This lineup can do it all.
Colorado Christian
One year after the Cougars 20-win improvement to a 49-win team, they may be even better. Colorado Christian is currently 45-3 and with no disrespect to starting pitchers Kali Crandall and Abrie Castillo (who are both very good), this team can flat out rake. Kenzie Middleton is a leading candidate for RMAC player of the year, leading the conference with a .435 batting average, a 1.353 OPS and 21 doubles. Her twin Kayla, is impressive as well, hitting .340 with seven doubles, eight home runs, and nine stolen bases. But they are not alone: The Cougars lineup leads the circuit in doubles per game and is top 10 in slugging percentage (.589) and scoring (347 runs).
Valdosta State
Can't have a list of potent offenses without the team leading the way in home runs. The Blazers have the most homers in DII (by almost 20!) with 98 heading into a new weekend of action. They are also third in the division with a .638 slugging percentage and hit .314 overall as a team. Abby Suite leads the home run brigade with 19, which has her tied for No. 1 in DII softball, but Taylor Macera, Morgan Hill, Taylor Lewis, and Kinzie Nelson all have at least 12 home runs. Pitchers beware: There is a lot of voltage in this lineup.
Columbus State
Another set of Cougars make the list as Columbus State is top 10 in DII softball in slugging percentage (.593), on base percentage (.437), and homers (76, 1.58 per game) and are 0.02 runs per game outside the top 10 (sitting at No. 11 with a 7.21 average). Hannah Rose Corbin is doing it all, leading the Peach Belt Conference in hitting while being in the top three in both homers and RBI, giving her a real shot at the PBC Triple Crown (she also leads the PBC in strikeouts behind a 19-7 record in the circle). Her teammates Kenzie Bayer and Elyse Ambrose both find themselves in the top 10 in DII in dingers with 18 and 16, respectively. Columbus State can hit.
Also considered
- Augustana (SD)
- Central Oklahoma
- Claflin
- Lenoir-Rhyne
- West Texas A&M
