We are into the final month of the Indiana high school softball regular season, which means it’s time we rank the state’s top-25 teams regardless of class.
Records and stats current as of Monday afternoon.
1. Lake Central (20-0)
Previous ranking: 3
The Indians’ lineup is loaded. I saw it with my own two eyes at the Carmel Invite when they beat Noblesville, Brownsburg and Penn by a combined 37-2. Now, it’s worth noting Noblesville was a dropped foul ball away from extinguishing a fourth-inning rally and neither Brownsburg nor Penn threw its No. 1 pitchers — but that’s a ridiculously potent assortment of hitters, and as I wrote afterwards, coach Yvette Tovar has her team really dialing in on the mental side of things.
LC is among the frontrunners in Class 4A, but a few close games (credit for extinguishing the potential for drama vs. Noblesville) — maybe even a loss? — would not be the worst thing for a team that’s had only one game decided by fewer than six runs (Crown Point, 2-1). Get experience ahead of the state tournament and that especially brutal sectional with Crown Point and Munster, both of whom have played tougher schedules according to the MaxPreps metrics.
The Indians have some tough tests upcoming with Crown Point, Marist twice and Hanover Central.
2. Crown Point (13-3-1)
PR: 1
To the surprise of no one, the Bulldogs were the first (and thus far only) team to give LC a run for its money in a seven-inning game, dropping a 2-1 decision on April 20. They lost again a couple games later to Chicago powerhouse Marist (ranked 16th nationally by MaxPreps), but have since come back with a five-game win streak that was punctuated last week with triumphs over Andrean, a top-10 Class A program, and defending 3A state runner-up Hanover Central, which it trailed entering the sixth inning before scoring five unanswered to win, 6-1.
3. Penn (15-2)
PR: 3
These top-3 spots are basically interchangeable, in my opinion, and we’ll get head-to-head data Friday with Penn traveling to Crown Point. The Kingsmen have a very strong record with wins over Center Grove, Westfield, Logansport, Brownsburg, Paw Paw (Mich.) and Cathedral. I was thoroughly impressed by ace Caitlyn Denny vs. the Irish, and she was working a no-hitter through four innings vs. Lake Central on April 2 before the game was called due to weather (Penn had two on with two out and a 2-0 lead at the time).
4. Center Grove (12-5)
PR: 6
My case for Center Grove as a top-5 team: It scored the eight unanswered runs to nearly knock-off Brownsburg and has not lost since with wins over Western, Avon, Franklin Central and New Palestine. New Pal is certainly the most impressive of those victories, but CG’s also beaten Roncalli and has been steadily improving since the 0-3 start to the year (Westfield, Penn and Fishers).
The lineup is batting .413 and has a couple established stalwarts in upperclassmen Brynn Meyer and Taylor Barrett, and freshman Hollie Haberstroh has been unreal in her debut campaign. The pitching has also stabilized in recent weeks. They haven’t allowed an earned run in three straight games and surrendered just 12 hits during that stretch.
5. Logansport (15-1)
PR: 8
This is where the rankings start feeling more like an (educated) guessing game. The MaxPreps computers really like Logansport and the Berries are putting together a really nice 2026 campaign behind ace pitcher Brooklynn Hagerty, the Texas commit. She didn’t start when they lost to Penn at the Castle Invite, and they’ve offset that setback with notable wins over Daviess County (Ky.), Henderson County (Ky.), Tecumseh (Audrey Seiler did not pitch until the final couple innings), Fishers, Western twice and South Bend St. Joseph twice.
Hamilton Heights (May 12-13) could be tricky and I’m really hoping we see Hagerty vs. Grace Swedarsky at HSE on May 20.
6. Hamilton Southeastern (13-3)
PR: 5
The Royals were charged with four fielding errors in a surprising loss to Avon on April 21. They’ve committed only three in the five games since — all wins, by the way — and hit .400 or better in four of those outings. Now, they were games HSE was expected to win, with the exception of Fishers (rivalry games are always tricky), but the lineup’s mostly maintained momentum and Grace Swedarsky is Grace Swedarsky (one of the state’s best). Now we get to see the Royals against more formidable competition with Noblesville, Lapel and Brownsburg this week, followed by Westfield, Yorktown and Fort Wayne Carroll the next.
7. Cathedral (14-4-1)
PR: 9
The Irish were also beaten by Avon last Thursday, though they’d beaten the Orioles at the Carmel Invite the weekend before. Junior Shelby Johnson limited a highly potent Noblesville lineup to zero runs on five hits with two strikeouts and a walk, while Ellis Land and Sidney Feczko both logged RBIs in a 2-0 win over the Millers on Wednesday.
Cathedral, which scored 10 runs on only five hits vs. Perry Meridian, is the odds-on favorite to win the City championship, but it still has a tricky week ahead with non-conference games vs. Roncalli (Monday) and Carmel (Wednesday).
8. Yorktown (13-1)
PR: 24
The Tigers were three games in the last time we did one of these. They continued their winning ways in the weeks since, picking off Western, New Palestine and Fishers as they ran their record to 13-0, before falling to Westfield last Thursday. As I wrote in my Monday Insider, I chalk up the performance vs. the Rocks (season-worst at the plate and in the field) to just an off-night. Sophomore pitcher Olivia Jones is the real deal by all accounts, and having an arm like that atop your rotation is going to keep you in a lot of games.
9. Noblesville (10-4)
PR: 4
The Millers ended April with a thud, losing three straight and four of five, including a 16-14 decision at Pendleton Heights on April 30. They bounced back OK in May with a conference win over Westfield, a suddenly dramatic 8-7 win over Decatur Central (surrendered four in the seventh), and rolled through Homestead. But the level of difficulty is going to ramp up again after Mt. Vernon on Monday with games upcoming against HSE, Fishers, Yorktown, Brownsburg and Roncalli.
Haley Schatko has been playing out of her mind this season. She has crushed a career-high 11 home runs and driven in 31 RBIs, just one off her previous career-best of 33.
10. Tecumseh (15-3)
PR: 10
Coach Gordon Wood’s Braves have continued chugging along, with their lone loss since the Castle Invite coming last week against Evansville Mater Dei, in a game Audrey Seiler did not start, and they responded with a 21-0 win over Mt. Vernon followed with three quality wins in Kentucky.
May 8 at a full-strength Floyd Central should provide this group’s next quality test. Daviess County is also on the schedule for May 12.
11. New Palestine (10-4)
PR: 12
The Dragons are 5-4 over their past nine, with notable wins over Westfield and East Central (nine innings) and losses to Hamilton Southeastern, Carmel, Yorktown and Center Grove. No “bad” losses there — the Greyhounds are more dangerous than their record — and NP jumped out to an early lead on Center Grove before falling, 9-3.
Saydie Miller, Cara Steele, Claire Fitzgerald and Payton Dye have all been steady contributors for a lineup that holds a combined .325 average and has been a bit hot-and-cold so far. The defense has been solid (.966 fielding percentage) behind the pitching staff, which is led by Sadey Hughbanks, who has struck out 86 in 69.2 innings.
12. Cascade (13-1)
PR: 18
The Cadets were about to dive into the meat of their schedule the last time we did a statewide rankings. And they’ve passed the initial wave of tests with flying colors, taking out Avon, Brownsburg (Etta Schroering did not pitch), Franklin Central (Kiley Renick is hurt) and Franklin. Hopefully their games against Center Grove and Greenwood are rescheduled — both should provide solid tests — but that’s a pretty potent lineup Cascade has.
13. Hanover Central (12-4)
PR: 22
The Wildcats have been holding their own against some really good teams, including Munster (L, 3-1) and Crown Point (L, 6-2, but led entering the sixth inning). Those losses have been surrounded by notable wins over Kankakee Valley (2), Andrean, Marist (Ill.) and Illiana Christian.
Seniors Sienna Stilley and Brooklynn Oostman have paired wonderfully with freshman Dallas Bowen at the plate, and sophomore pitcher Jillian DeYoung has maintained her status as one of the state’s top arms, compiling a 9-2 record with a 1.57 ERA and 11 strikeouts. She struck out 12 Saturday against Crown Point.
14. Floyd Central (16-6)
PR: 11
The Highlanders have won six straight since losing to Daviess County, and are officially at full strength following the return of Florida State commit Addy Ware (ACL) last week. Adeline Shultz and Emmy Miller are a nice 1-2 in the circle, and the lineup has seven batters with 20-plus hits.
Floyd Central has upcoming games against Bullitt East and Meade County out of Kentucky, followed by Tecumseh on Friday.
15. Roncalli (12-2)
PR: 14
The Royals let one get away vs. Westfield at the Kokomo Invite on April 25, dropping a 5-4 decision in walk-off fashion. Their schedule picks up in May with games against Cathedral, New Palestine, Westfield, Noblesville, Kankakee Valley and Brownsburg.
Elise Baker and Bennie Leffler have been exceptional at the plate, batting .548 and .455, respectively. Baker has delivered 17 runs and five doubles; Leffler’s generated 27 RBIs with seven doubles, two triples and six dingers. Kayla Brewer has settled in as the team’s No. 1 pitcher, logging a 7-1 record with a 2.77 ERA and 85 strikeouts over 53 innings.
16. Brownburg (12-5)
PR: 16
The short-handed Bulldogs shut out rival Avon on Tuesday, generating three runs off one hit, while Schroering spun a five-hit shutout with four strikeouts. That’s a nice win for the Dawgs, who’ve also beaten Westfield, Center Grove and Lincoln-Way East.
17. Munster (12-6)
PR: 7
The Mustangs’ in-state losses have come against Lake Central, and Kankakee Valley, which it had beaten a couple weeks earlier. Caroline Wendlinger and Ally Compton are both batting over .400 with 20-plus hits (seven homers for Compton), while Melanie O’Connor has marked her first high school season with five homers and 18 RBIs. Fellow freshman Izzy Tristan has also been very good, compiling a .357 average with 15 hits, 14 RBIs and two homers.
Compton and Kaylee O’Connell have combined for a 2.68 ERA and 123 strikeouts in the circle (Compton: 6-2, 1.37 ERA, 93 strikeouts).
Hanover Central on Monday will be another quality test; the Mustangs venture to Central Indiana on May 16 to take on New Palestine.
18. Westfield (9-6-1)
PR: NR
The Rocks went 7-2-1 through the month of April. They lost to Noblesville on Friday, and have games upcoming against Hamilton Heights and Roncalli. Read more about them in my Monday Insider.
19. Fishers (12-5)
PR: 13
The strength of the Tigers’ schedule has taken its toll in recent weeks with losses to Logansport, Westfield, Yorktown and Hamilton Southeastern. They have a quality win over Center Grove on their résumé and have a fairly ridiculous week upcoming with Avon, Hamilton Heights and Noblesville.
Cate Summerfield, Adrianne Cook and Kennedy Shockley are all batting above .400 (Cook has eight doubles, four homers and 25 RBIs), and Brooke Clayton has maintained her sharp upward trajectory in year three, crushing five homers and logging 17 RBIs.
20. Fort Wayne Carroll (16-0)
PR: NR
The Chargers have two wins over Leo and a 1-0 victory over Western to their name. That win over the Panthers came Saturday, with Kaitlin Molden delivering the decisive score on a sixth-inning homer and Taylor Danley out-dueling Michigan commit Lucy George, throwing a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and zero walks. (George allowed just the one run on one hit with 15 strikeouts and zero walks).
Izzy Rapson, Macey Denison and Jaci Heath are all batting above .400 and Kaitlin Molden is right behind them at .387. Denison leads the team with 19 RBIs and a couple homers, while Heath has scored a team-leading 20 runs. Kaelyn Kinsey has eight steals.
Danley is 10-0 with a miniscule 0.24 ERA and 115 strikeouts.
Carroll’s toughest stretch of the season comes May 15-16 with games against Penn and HSE (2).
21. Leo (10-3)
PR: NR
Two of the Lions’ three losses were to Carroll, and it was competitive in both outings, dropping a five-run decision on April 14 and a two-run decision on April 28.
Leah Shappell has been very good in the circle, going 9-1 with a 0.48 ERA (only four earned runs allowed) and 87 strikeouts. Emma Connally leads the team with nine steals, while Lexi Nighswander boasts a team-leading .415 average. Kortney Dowty has driven in 16 RBIs.
22. Kankakee Valley (13-5)
PR: NR
The 3A Kougars salvaged a split with Munster and were competitive in both outings against Hanover Central, with their most recent meeting decided on a seventh-inning walk-off.
Julia Mahmet is the catalyst offensively with a career-best .541 average that includes six doubles, three triples and two homers, while Mallorie Rose and Jessica Beauchamp provide double-barrel arms in the circle. Rose has a 2.37 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 62 innings pitched; Beauchamp has a 2.44 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 51.2 innings.
KV plays Andrean on Tuesday and will be at Roncalli later this month.
23. Castle (14-4-1)
PR: 17
The Knights picked up quality wins over Evansville Mater Dei and Silver Creek in late April, but they’re 2-2 in their four games since with unexpected losses to Terre Haute South and Jasper.
Castle’s batting .399 as a team, but has been held below .300 in three of its past five games. It has also given up double-digit hits in three of four.
24. Avon (8-9)
PR: 15
The Orioles have lost seven of 10, but two of those wins were against HSE and Cathedral. And it was competitive in all but one of those losses, an 11-4 setback to Cascade on April 17. Avon’s lineup has the power to keep it in most games, and this schedule was constructed to have them ready for the tournament — and it ain’t getting easier with Fishers, McCutcheon, Danville, Crown Point, Munster, Westfield and Noblesville still to go.
25. Terre Haute North (19-1)
PR: NR
The Patriots kicked off May with their two best wins of the season, beating Avon, 4-2, and rolling Evansville Mater Dei, 15-0. Kenzie Zigler, Kyleigh Walker and Jaleigh Lindley are all batting around .600 with 40-plus hits, 32-plus RBIs and multiple home runs (nine for Zigler). Madi Strange (.565, 35 hits, 22 RBIs, 37 runs, 4 homers), Marcia Parker (.515, 28 RBIs, 27 runs) and Kyanna Gardner (.471, 25 RBIs, 27 runs) are also generating video game numbers.
Lindley anchors the pitching staff with a 1.55 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 63.1 innings.
THN’s remaining schedule includes Danville, Southport and Tri-West, but its biggest tests likely won’t come until regionals (faces winner of Sectional 14 with East Central, Franklin and Whiteland).
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Is it May yet? Yes. Here are our top-25 Indiana high school softball teams
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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