Softball season preview: State-title hopefuls, USF commits and a dominant starting pitcher

Three Manatee County teams began the postseason last year with state championship aspirations. Their earned mixed results. Bayshore reached the Class 5A final. Braden River reached the Class 7A semifinals. Lakewood Ranch exited in the Class 8A-Region 8 semifinals. All three should be among the best in their respective classifications once again with most of their lineups back.

Five players to watch

Miriam Schmoll, P/3B, Bayshore

Schmoll was the Herald’s All-Area Player of the Year as a junior. She carried the Bruins to the Class 5A championship, striking out 206 batters and posting a 0.29 ERA. The senior has signed with South Florida.

Kinsey Goelz, SS, Lakewood Ranch

Goelz batted .440 last season with a .565 on-base percentage and .667 slugging percentage while anchoring the Mustangs’ defense with her play at shortstop. The senior has signed with South Florida.

Denali Schappacher, OF, Lakewood Ranch

Schappacher led the Mustangs with a .547 batting average, .619 on-base percentage and .768 slugging percentage. She stole 29 bases in 32 attempts. Lakewood Ranch’s next most prolific runner stole eight. The senior has signed with Central Florida.

Myah Moy, 2B, Braden River

Moy has been a first-team all-area selection by the Herald in each of her first three season with the Pirates. As a junior, Moy batted .583 with four home runs and 43 RBIs. The senior has signed with Rutgers.

Kyria Holcomb, C, Palmetto

The Tigers settled for third in a rigorous district last season. Holcomb, though, shined and was an all-area honorable mention by the Herald. As a senior, she’ll try to guide Palmetto back to the region playoffs.

Five teams to watch

Lakewood Ranch

The Mustangs were viewed as one of the favorites in Class 8A before running into Countryside in Clearwater in the Class 8A-Region 2 semifinal. The bulk of Lakewood Ranch’s starting lineup is back, though, and the Mustangs will be among the favorites once again.

Braden River

The Pirates made it all to the Class 7A semifinals last year and, although Bethaney Keen and Linda Ross have both graduated, Braden River has the pieces in place to contend again led by Myah Moy, Sarah Crawford and Brooke Farrow.

Bayshore

The Bruins went all the way to the Class 5A championship last year and as long as Miriam Schmoll is around Bayshore will have a chance to win it all. Infielders Courtney Ueltschi and Madyson Ramirez will have to support Schmoll with some offense.

Palmetto

The Tigers are in a tough spot with the Mustangs positioned as the clear-cut favorite in Class 8A-District 8. Passing Sarasota for the runner-up spot isn’t entirely improbable, though, with Kyria Holcomb and Ashley Price leading the way.

Manatee

The Hurricanes will be in the mix alongside Palmetto to leapfrog Sarasota and reach the Class 8A-Region 2 postseason, even if it will be tough to snatch Class 8A-District 8 from Lakewood Ranch.

Five games to watch

Palmetto at Manatee, Feb. 28

An early season rivalry clash between the Tigers and Hurricanes could determine the early front-runner for the runner-up spot in Class 8A-District 8.

Seffner Armwood at Braden River, March 7

Armwood was the runner-up to the Pirates in Class 7A-District 9 last year. If the Hawks are going to give Braden River a challenge in 2017, they’ll need to spring an upset on the Pirates at some point.

Braden River at Lakewood Ranch, March 14

The two best teams in Manatee County square off. As two state-title contenders, the always contentious game will be even more tantalizing.

Pulaski County (Somerset, Ky.) at Bayshore, April 5

Pulaski County was a playoff team in Kentucky last year, so the Bruins will get a look at what a top team from another state looks like as a postseason tuneup.

Venice at Braden River, April 19

The Indians are always one of the best teams in the region and will give the Pirates a late-season test before Braden River tries to make another run in Class 7A.

This story was originally published February 11, 2017 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Softball season preview: State-title hopefuls, USF commits and a dominant starting pitcher."