BARTOW — Alyssa Hillman, entering the 2023 season, didn’t expect to have much of an impact on Bartow’s fortunes if it made the state tournament. After all, Hillman began her freshman season on junior varsity and the Yellow Jackets’ fortunes centered around upperclassmen, including Red Oxley, McKenzie Gibson and Julia Heter.
When state semifinals and finals were on the line, however, Hillman was right in the center of things with clutch hits.
Three years later as Bartow prepares for another state tournament, Hillman is one of two Yellow Jackets who started in the ’23 championship game as only three seniors have rings from that season.
Bartow will begin its run for a 10th state title when it plays Doral at 2:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals of the 2026 FHSAA Class 6A Softball State Championships at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood.
Hillman, one of the key hitters for Bartow this season, and pitcher Ryleigh Knowlton, another key hitter, know the expectations on them are different than they were in 2023. Knowlton was the starting first baseman who batted .235 and was just a role player that season.
“We’re definitely getting a lot more playing time,” Hillman said. “Instead of how it was all on Red and McKenzie and all them, now it’s basically riding on us to be able to get our team to the next level and try and get us to actually win this year.”
Catcher Lexi Hayford, who started in the state semifinals at first base, was a bench player who had just 29 at-bats as a freshman.
Hillman’s role in ’23 developed late in the season when head coach Glenn Rutenbar was trying to solve third base. She saw action there late in the season then was the designated player in the state tournament. She batted .318 in limited action but had big at-bats in the state semifinals and finals.
In the semifinals, Bartow trailed Doral 2-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. Hillman singled to lead off the inning then scored the tying run from first on Kynley Quartermaine’s triple.
In the championship game, Bartow and Pace were tied at 1 going into the top of the seventh. After Kyndall Sowell doubled to lead off the inning, the next two batters struck out before Hillman singled to center to drive in the winning run.
Hillman’s clutch hitting has continued to this season. She singled home the winning run in the 3-2 victory over Bloomingdale in the district championship game. She singled home the go-ahead run in the regional quarterfinals when Bartow rallied from a 4-1 deficit to beat Lake Howell, 13-4. She also hit a two-run homer against Melbourne that turned a 3-0 leading into a 5-0 lead against Melbourne in the regional finals.
Is it a clutch gene or something else?
“No, I think you can see it, and she has had it,” Rutenbar said. “I think some people have it. Some kids I’ve had in the past, big games, they are there, and in big games, there’s some kids that are not there. So far she’s been there.”
Hillman expected to be a regular as a sophomore, but with the arrival Kyndal Cornielus, who was the hitter of the year that season, she had to wait until her junior season to be a regular.
The past two seasons, Hillman has been an important bat in the lineup, playing various positions, and batted .368 last year and .338 this season.
Knowlton certainly has a bigger role than her freshman season.
After losing the starting first baseman job as a sophomore when second baseman Niamah Johnson’s arrival pushed her to first base, Knowlton focused on improving as a pitcher as Oxley’s backup. She team with Brooklyn Tyson last year while being a big bat in the line. And after a slow start this season, her she remains a key hitter.
“My big thing is I just focus on pitching,” Knowlton said. “When I get up to bat, I just swing. I really don’t think about anything. Half the time I don’t know if it’s going to be a ball or a strike. I’m like, OK, I just got to have a good swing. I’m big enough to just hit the ball far.”
Still, Knowlton has been clutch as she brings a 12-game hitting streaking into the state tournament. She doubled home the tying run against Bloomingdale, and tripled home the first run then added a sacrifice fly against Melbourne.
Knowlton, who is 20-2 with a 0.78 ERA, was in a slump early in the season and opted out of the lineup one game as she was frustrated so she could concentrate on pitching. She finally turned things around and is batting .359 after batting .357 last year.
“She’s kind of just progressed,” Rutenbar said. “Each game, she seems to be doing something to help us.”
Bartow brings plenty of firepower into the state tournament beyond the two veteran seniors.
Red-hot centerfielder Emma Huffman (.432), shortstop Bailee Ellis (.382), Johnson (.400) and Maddie Hamilton (.329) are all capable of coming up with clutch hits. Senior catcher Hayford was unable to followup with her strong performance at the plate last year the she hit .333, but she has been solid defensively, and Rutenbar said this is his best defensive team in year.
Most of the top players are underclassmen, but for the seniors, this is their last chance for another ring. Knowlton and Hillman have a lot of experiences together at state as they were roommates in ’23 and again on the state-runner-up squad in ’24.
“I think it’s really special being the only people that are left on this team that won our freshman year is me, Riley, and Lexi, and we’re going back together,” Hillman said. “I think it’s, it’s a really special thing. Like me and Riley shared a room (both years) so I think it’s, it’s really cool and I hope that we can finish it out together like we started it together.”
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Role players to leaders, Bartow softball seniors looking for 2nd state title
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
