Last season was a softball season for the ages.
Fort Walton Beach proved to be the area’s postseason darling, winning the program’s first region title and capping off a 7-0 postseason with a thrilling 7-6 win over American Heritage to capture the 4A state title.
Niceville, meanwhile, celebrated its own region title in 6A and finished state runner-up after a 4-3 loss to Winter Springs.
Who’ll be this year’s postseason darling? We’ll have to wait until April to see, but first let’s discuss all the talent on the softball diamond this season. And there’s no better place to start than the Vikings.
50 Emerald Coast high school softball players to watch
In alphabetical order
Anna Abernathy, FWB: .441 BA, 34 RBIs, 31 runs, 11 XBH, .449 OBP/.550 slug/1.000 OPS
Londyn Albee, Destin Sr.: .481 OBP, .894 OPS, 24 runs, 20 SB, 13 RBIs
Chloe Bailey, Niceville Jr.: .330 BA, five HR; .71 ERA, 158 2/3 IP, 266 Ks; 19 strikeouts in opener
Layla Bendickson, Baker Jr.: .321 BA, 20 runs, 17 RBI, .946 OPS
Chloe Bendure, Walton Sr.: .322 BA, 15 RBIs, 14 runs
Aspen Benscoter, Destin Sr.: .425 BA, 22 RBIs, 17 runs, 13 SB, 11 XBH, 1.091 OPS; 4.12 ERA, 8-10, 148 Ks in 128 1/3 IP
Anna Beyhl, FWB: .387 BA, 33 RBIs, 24 runs, 15 XBH, two HR, .496 OBP/.591 slug/1.087 OPS
Ava Blankenship, FWB: Opened her career with a double against 2A state runner-up North Bay Haven.
Macy Borgen, FWB: .376 OBP, 18 runs, 16 RBIs, eight SB
Kaylee Carroll, Freeport Sr.: 12 runs, 13 RBIs, .349 OBP; : 3.33 ERA, 11-4
Brenna Cooke, Niceville Jr.: .417 BA, 13 RBIs, nine runs
Riley Copeland, Crestview Jr.: .447 BA, 12 RBIs, 10 runs, .481 OBP
Alayah Dalton, Walton Sr.: 19 runs, seven RBIs, .383 OBP
Izzy Douglas, FWB Sr.: .347 BA, 35 RBIs, 21 runs, 18 XBH, seven HR, 1.095 OPS; 2.91 ERA, 109 Ks in 168 1/3 IP
Kayden Eckman, South Walton Sr.: 17 runs, 11 RBIs, 12 walks, .367 OBP
Keelie Ellis, Destin Sr.: .420 BA, 18 SB, 31 RBIs, 29 runs, 13 XBH, two HR, .524 OBP, 1.205 OPS
Alyssa Falk, Paxton Sr: .322 BA, 26 runs, 13 RBIs, eigth XBH, eight SB, .487 OBP, 1.012 OPS
Julian Forrest, Crestview Sr.: .324 BA, 13 RBIs, 10 runs
AnnMarie Gilbert, Choctawhatchee Sr.: .435 batting averge, 11 RBI
Emma Grisoff, Destin Jr.: .326 BA, 11 RBIs, seven runs, seven SB, .491 OBP, .863 OPS
Kelsie Hearne, FWB Sr.: .400 OBP, nine runs, five SB
Elyse Heymann, FWB Fr.: Reached in 2-of-4 plate appearances against North Bay Haven in opener.
Hannah Isham, FWB Sr.: .491 BA, 1.130 OBP, 46 runs, 20 RBIs, 12 SB
Lyliana Kessler, Destin Jr.: Opened 2026 with 2-for-2 effort with home run and three RBIs in win over Choctaw where she struck out three and didn’t allow an earned run over a four-inning one-hitter. In 2025, .371 BA, 33 runs, 16 RBIs, 14 XBH, nine SB, .488 OBP, 1.131 OPS; 6-0, 39 Ks in 34 IP
Kallie Keyes, South Walton Sr.: .288 BA, 18 RBIs, nine runs, three HR
Tatum Kreinus, South Walton Sr.: .605 BA, 35 runs, 17 RBIs, 17 XBH; .652 OBP/.921 slug/1.573 OPS, 15 SB
Zoey Kreinus, South Walton Jr.: .466 BA, 37 RBIs, 20 runs, 16 XBH, nine HRs, .518 OBP/.932 slug/1.450 OPS
Kenzie Lassiter, Paxton Jr.: .500 BA, 16 runs, 1.020 OPS
Gianna Mataccheriero, South Walton Jr.: .319 BA, 23 runs, 14 RBIs, .388 OBP
Marley McClelland, Paxton Jr.: .403 BA, 15 RBIs, 14 runs, .947 OPS
Ryleigh Miller, Paxton soph: .369 BA, 21 RBIs, 11 runs
Briana Noles, Niceville Jr.: .451 BA, 32 runs, 23 RBIs, seven HR, 20 XBH, 12 SB, 1.329 OPS
Avionnah Padgett, Paxton Sr.: .447 OBP, 21 RBIs, 18 runs, three HRs, 18 free passes; 3.71 ERA
Anita Palmer, Destin Sr.: 47 runs, 31 RBIs, six HR, 28 XBH, 18 SB, .603 BA, .663 OBP/1.192 slug/1.855 OPS
Delia Pennington, Paxton: .375 BA, 15 RBIs, .420 OPB
Taylor Phillips, Paxton Jr.: .276 BA, 19 RBIs, 13 runs, .440 OBP
Raina Pitts, Walton Sr.: .314 BA, 14 RBIs, 13 runs, nine doubles, .811 OPS
McKenzie Reiter, South Walton Sr.: 10 RBIs, nine runs; 4.04 ERA, 7-6
Karsyn Riddle, Navarre Sr.: .418 BA, 26 runs, 26 RBIs, three HR, .455 OBP, 1.059 OPS; 3.27 ERA
Savannah Riley, Laurel Hill Jr.: .550 BA, 10 RBI, three runs, .625 OBP, 1.425 OPS
Raegan Rintala, South Walton Jr.: 16 runs, .436 OBP
Nadia Rivera, Navarre Jr.: .292 BA, 20 RBIs, 23 runs, .944 OPS
Anabelle Shackelford, Niceville Sr.: .319 BA, nine RBIs
Natalia Taylor, Navarre Sr.: .379 BA, 21 RBIs, 20 runs, five HR, .433 OBP, 1.031 OPS
Cambell Toolan, Crestview Sr.: .311 BA, 13 runs, 12 RBIs
Krissa Troutman, Niceville Sr.: .250 BA, 14 runs, nine RBIs
Emily Whiddon, Baker Fr.: .448 BA, 25 RBIs, 22 runs, 15 SB, eight XBH, .538 OBP, 1.150 OPS
Annsleigh Withey, Freeeport soph.: .342 BA, 24 runs, 16 RBIs, 11 SB, two HR
Kaylee Worrell, Freeport Sr.: .333 BA, 23 runs, 13 SB, 10 RBIs, two HR
Lexi Worrell, Freeport soph: .300 BA, nine runs, eight RBIs
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Fifty names to follow on Emerald Coast for the 2026 HS softball season
Reporting by Seth Stringer, Northwest Florida Daily News / Northwest Florida Daily News
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