March 23 marks the halfway point of the Florida high school softball season.
As expected, Pace (10-1) leads the way as the second half of the season begins, checking in at No. 2 overall in the state of Florida and No. 19 in the country in MaxPreps XCellent rankings.
Northview (8-3), Gulf Breeze (8-6), Navarre (6-4) and Milton (7-3) all rank within the state’s top 100 teams, according to MaxPreps. Central is also undefeated at 8-0.
All area teams will turn their focus over the coming weeks to peaking at the right time, which means playing their best softball for district tournaments, which will run April 27-30.
But that can wait. The rest of this recap will look at midseason standouts in the Pensacola area.
Preseason, the PNJ released a list of 31 players to watch based on 2025 statistics and accolades. This list will be based on statistics from the 2026 season. Players on this list aren’t guaranteed to make this year’s all-area team, but there will be quite a bit of overlap.
Here are 38 players from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties who are standing out at midseason.
Sally Alberson, Gulf Breeze
Alberson has been the Dolphins top hitter so far, batting .441 with three home runs and 13 RBIs.
Kaleigh Atchley, Navarre
Atchley is getting it done at the plate and the circle for the Raiders, batting .400 with an RBI while recording a 1.81 ERA in 29 2/3 innings pitched.
Aubree Baldwin, Pensacola Catholic
Baldwin has been excellent to start her freshman season, batting a team-high .632 with 15 RBIs.
Natalie Blair, Central
Blair has been raking for the Jaguars, batting a team-high .565 with a home run and 13 RBIs.
Mary Brockett, Pine Forest
Brockett is sizzling to start 2026, batting .692 with nine RBIs.
Kelsey Bumgarner, Pine Forest
Bumgarner does it all for the Eagles, batting .304 with 10 RBIs while recording a 4.07 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings pitched.
Cadee Carroll, Jay
Carroll has been strong in the circle for the Lady Royals, posting a 2.44 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings pitched. She’s also batting .238 with four RBIs.
Abby Cogdill, West Florida
Cogdill has a 2.47 ERA in 34 1/3 innings pitched and is batting .250 with three RBIs.
Kennaysha Cotton, Pine Forest
Cotton is having a solid senior season, batting .429 with 12 RBIs.
Hannah DeMarcus, Pace
The reigning Florida Gatorade Player of the Year and Prep Softball National Player of the Year remains just as unhittable as a junior. The Auburn commit has a 0.39 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched and has allowed a run in just one inning all season.
Destiny Dennis, Milton
Dennis has been one of the Panthers top hitters, batting a team-high .481 with six RBIs.
Mariyah Everheart, Escambia
Everheart is having an excellent senior season, batting .458 with five RBIs.
Mylee Frazier, Jay
Frazier has started 2026 with a serious power surge, batting .400 with four home runs and 11 RBIs.
Abbie Freeman, Escambia
Freeman has been a standout in an otherwise challenging season for the Gators, batting .500 with a home run and nine RBIs while recording 72 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings pitched in the circle.
Kaylee Gilbreath, Jay
The multi-sport star is off to a hot start in her final season in a Lady Royals uniform, batting .440 with six RBIs and seven stolen bases.
Addie Holland, Central
Holland is another potent bat on a young but undefeated Jaguars squad, batting .464 with a home run and 13 RBIs.
Jessica Jagar, Gulf Breeze
The reigning PNJ co-Newcomer of the Year has been a stalwart for the Dolphins, batting .324 with eight RBIs while recording a 0.94 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings pitched.
Mikayla McAnally, Northview
McAnally remains the Chiefs dominant aces, posting a 1.66 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.
Brynile McLaughlin, Pensacola Catholic
McLaughlin is a feared bat for the Crusaders, batting .500 with a team-high six doubles and 13 RBIs.
Kaylie Mitchell, Tate
Mitchell is on a power surge to start 2026, batting .395 with five home runs and 21 RBIs.
Emily Moraes, West Florida
Moraes gets it done with runners in scoring position, batting .313 with 12 RBIs.
Chloe Norman, Milton
The other reigning PNJ Co-Newcomer of the Year, Norman is batting .433 with 10 RBIs while recording a 1.69 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings pitched in her sophomore campaign.
Kamryn Pierce, Pace
A state championship weightlifter has showed tremendous power to being her senior softball season, batting .486 with a team-high five home runs and 12 RBIs.
Ashley Pickard, Pace
Pickard has been a tone-setter in the Patriots lineup, batting .385 with four RBIs.
Daviona Randolph, Northview
Randolph has been the straw that stirs the drink in the Chiefs lineup, batting a team-high .440 with three home runs, 11 RBIs and nine stolen bases.
Nadia Rivera, Navarre
Rivera is batting .345 with a team-high eight RBIs.
Trennedi Rose, Pine Forest
Rose is batting .583 with 12 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
Tenley Smarr, Central
Smarr is off to an incredible start to her freshman season, batting .500 with a home run, 14 RBIs and 13 stolen bases while recording a 0.37 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched.
Summer Smith, Gulf Breeze
Smith is off to a strong start in her freshman season, batting .270 with 13 RBIs.
Ashlyn Sutton, Milton
Sutton is batting .406 with 13 RBIs, while recording a 3.09 ERA in 22 2/3 innings in the circle.
Natalia Taylor, Navarre
Taylor is batting a team-high .438 with a home run and seven RBIs.
Gracie Ueberroth, Pace
Ueberroth has been one of the area’s most feared hitters so far this season, batting. 556 with four home runs and a team-high 17 RBIs.
Madison Vanderburg, Milton
Vanderburg is batting .370 with eight RBIs.
Lana Van Wyck, Booker T. Washington
Van Wyck is batting a team-high .400 with five RBIs for a winless Wildcats squad.
Leianna Wagner, West Florida
Wagner is a steady presence in the Jaguars lineup, batting .500 with two home runs, six RBIs and six stolen bases.
Abigail Wise, Booker T. Washington
Wise is batting .360 with two doubles, two triples and six RBIs.
Peyton Womack, Northview
Womack has been a huge power bat for the Chiefs, batting .429 with seven doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs.
Shelby Zigler, Central
Zigler is batting .417 with 10 RBIs and 11 stolen bases while recording a 1.91 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: 38 Pensacola area high school softball midseason standouts
Reporting by Justin Fitzgerald, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
