Meet SBLive's California All-State softball teams for 2023

Much like previous seasons, the 2023 high school softball season in California was unpredictable and high-powered. 

At least 15 teams from the Golden State were nationally ranked at some point during the season, and dozens more could compete any team in the country on any given day. 

Many current players throughout California are among the top-ranked players in the country, and hundreds will go on to play at the college level. 

That makes picking a California All-State team all the more challenging. Under careful consideration, here's the 2023 SBLive Sports California All-State squad: 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: P Sophia Mariotinni – Hollister – Sr.

Named NorCal player of the year by SportsStars Magazine, Mariotinni was a workhorse and playoff superstar for the season-end No. 1 team in the state. Mariotinni went 30-2 with a 1.59 ERA in 171.1 innings of work, and was also a force at the plate, hitting .414 with two home runs and a 1.117 OPS. 

In particular, the Molloy University (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) commit earned the nod due to an amazing playoff run to lead the Haybalers to CIF Central Coast Section and Northern California region Division 1 titles. In six games against the best of the best in Northern California, Mariotinni allowed just three earned runs (four total) in 44 innings and batted .388 (7 for 18). She went nine scoreless innings in the regional finals to win 1-0 against statewide No. 2 Saint Francis (Mountain View) — her second championship shutout of Saint Francis in the span of a week. She beat the Lancers 4-0 in the CCS finals. Mariotinni also scored the game-winning run in the ninth inning in the NorCal finals.

FIRST TEAM

PITCHER Randi Roelling – Central Catholic (Modesto) – Sr.

Roelling turned in her best season yet on both sides of the ball to lead the Raiders to a CIF Region Division 3 title, earning statewide Player of the year honors from Cal-Hi Sports. At bat, Roelling hit .361 with career-highs of 7 home runs, 27 RBIs, and 26 runs scored for an OPS of 1.203. In 178.2 innings in the circle, the Cal commit went 21-3 and fanned 375 batters with a career-best 0.59 ERA. Mariotinni just edged Roelling for state Player of the Year honors.  

P Ryann Maddox – Clovis North – Sr.

The Gatorade state player of the year and Cal-Hi Sports large school player of the year, Maddox turned in yet another staggering season to finish her high school career. The Arizona commit went 21-1 with a 0.64 ERA in 152 innings while fanning 281, and also led her team in batting average (.420), OPS (1.144), and runs scored (28).

P Miali Guachino – Great Oak – Jr.

Guachino, an Ole Miss commit, went 15-4 with a 0.57 ERA and 280 strikeouts in 135 innings, In particular, it was her postseason run that cemented her as the Press-Enterprise/IE Player of the Year and Cal-Hi Sports' Sophomore of the Year. In lifting Great Oak to a CIFSS D2 championship, Guachino held five playoff opponents to one run, recorded a no-hitter and three performances with at least 18 strikeouts and even hit three home runs.

P Kate Munnerlyn – Saint Francis (Mountain View) – Jr.

As a junior, the Texas A&M commit took another leap in pitching dominance and also became a force at the plate for the nationally-ranked Lancers. Munnerlyn went 16-3 with a 0.55 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 114 innings, and hit .350 with six home runs and 31 RBIs. She was named the West Coast Preps Pitcher of the Year.

CATCHER Jasmyn Burns – Murrieta Mesa – Sr.

An Ohio State commit, Burns was both the centerpiece of one of the state's top lineups and one of the premier defensive catchers in high school softball. She hit .411 with 15 homers, 11 doubles, and 45 RBIs, good for a 1.555 OPS.

INF Mya Perez – Norco – Sr.

As usual, Perez was one of the best hitters in high school softball, and she also contributed for Norco both on the field and in the circle. The Texas A&M commit blasted 13 home runs while hitting for a high average as well.

INFIELDER Taylor Faga – Hollister – Fr.

Cal-Hi Sports' Freshman of the Year, Faga burst onto the scene quickly and never stopped getting better for the No. 1 team in California. She hit .511 with three home runs, 29 RBIs, 28 runs, and a team-high 1.423 OPS. Faga finished on a 12-game hitting streak, which included going 6 for 8 with two walks during the Haybalers' Northern Region Division I title run.

INF Anahi "Nani" Arreola – Oaks Christian – Sr.

The Los Angeles Times' Player of the Year hit the cover off the ball, and held it down at first base, for one of the state's top teams. Arreola batted .514 with 20 home runs —  tied for second all-time in Southern Section single-season history — to go with 60 RBIs.

INF Jenissa Conway – Marysville – Sr.

Soon to be a Michigan Wolverine, Conway was about as dominant as any hitter anywhere. She batted .689 with 10 home runs, 32 RBIs, 42 runs scored, 23 stolen bases (in 24 attempts), and a massive OPS of 2.240. Conway also went her second straight season without recording an error.

OUTFIELDER Ella Parker – Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) – Sr.

It's no secret that the Los Angeles Daily News' Player of the Year might be the best hitter in the state. As a senior, the Oklahoma commit had career-highs in batting average (.667), on-base percentage (.793), slugging (1.647), OPS (2.440), BBs (34), and stolen bases (14) to go with 14 home runs and 27 RBIs. Parker also went all season without committing an error.

OF Kai Minor – Orange Lutheran – So.

Minor hit .423 with 2 home runs and 13 RBIs while drawing 21 walks for a top-ten team in California. She also stole 24 bases in 25 tries on her way to scoring 30 runs, but might've been even more impressive in centerfield, where she is one of the premier defensive assets in the state.

OF Jaime Oakland – Saint Francis (Mountain View) – Fr.

The freshman followed in the footsteps of her older sister Jessica, a former State Player of the Year, as one of the top outfielders in California on her way to being named the WCAL Player of the Year. She hit .533 and scored 31 runs for the nationally-ranked Lancers.

UTILITY: P/1B Zoe Prystajko – Huntington Beach – Jr.

The Orange County Register Player of the Year was one of both the top pitchers and hitters in Southern California as a junior. Prystajko, a Stanford commit, hit .457 with 10 homers, 30 RBIs, and a 1.534 OPS. In the regular season, Prystajko had a 0.97 ERA with 150 strikeouts throwing 79.2 innings against one of the toughest schedules in California.

UTIL: P/1B Kailani Tatro – Pinole Valley – Sr.

To finish her dominant high school career, Tatro led the Spartans to a 29-2 record and NCS D3 championship, and has since been named SBLive's CIFNCS Player of the Year. The Robert Morris commit logged 191 innings and finished with a 0.73 ERA, 277 K's, and a 0.74 WHIP. At the dish, she recorded team-highs of .538 BA, 41 RBIs, 27 extra-base hits (four of which were home runs), and a 1.545 OPS.

UTIL: P Paige McLeod – San Ramon Valley – Sr.

McLeod, the EBAL Player of the Year, was the pinnacle of reliability and durability in the circle for the Wolves. Pitching every game of the season, the Illinois State commit held all 30 opponents to three earned runs or less and 27 to two or fewer, recording a 0.89 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 196.2 innings. She also hit .326 with 21 RBIs and a team-high 6 home runs for the EBAL champions.

UTIL: P/INF Mya McGowan – Poway – So.

The Cal-Hi Sports Sophomore of the Year, McGowan led Poway to a San Diego Section championship and CIF Southern Region Division 1 title with her two-way play. She went 19-1 with a 1.01 ERA and hit .310 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. McCogwan capped the season off with a one-hit shutout against a record-setting Oaks Christian offense for a 1-0 regional championship win.

UTIL: P/OF Brynne Nally – Pacifica (Garden Grove) – Jr.

The Long Beach State commit had a remarkable postseason run to lift Pacifica to a Southern Section D1 title. Nally had a 1.87 ERA and 172 K's in 141.2 innings while hitting .312 with 15 RBIs. In the playoffs, she kept some of the state's top offenses at bay while recording at least one hit in four of five games.

SECOND TEAM

P Meika Lauppe – East Nicolaus – Sr.

How dominant was Lauppe in the circle for the Northern Section champion? For starters, the Arizona State commit was fifth in the state with a 0.30 ERA, and the only player with such a low mark in a 117.2 innings of work. Lauppe went 22-2 and struck out 179 batters. To top it off, three of the only five earned runs she allowed all year came in extra innings of the regional championship following a 0-0 tie through seven innings. Through regulation of that game, Lauppe had a 0.12 ERA, which was second-best in the state. She also batted .353 with 20 RBIs and 20 runs for the season. 

P Brianne Weiss – Orange Lutheran – Jr.

During a season in which almost all of the state's best pitchers were also elite hitters, Weiss is the only non-hitter to make second team. Pitching against an elite schedule, the Notre Dame commit and Orange County Register Pitcher of the Year tossed 106.2 innings and went 13-3 with a 0.79 ERA and 185 strikeouts. For the second year in a row, Weiss only allowed more than two earned runs once all season.

P Shannon Keighran – Saint Francis (Mountain View) – Jr.

The Boise State commit was untouchable as a junior, going 12-0 in 74 innings with career-best marks in ERA (0.66), strikeouts (135), and opposing batting average (.117). Keighran also hit .269 with three home runs and 13 RBIs.

P Kaitlyn Le – California – Jr.

Le was unstoppable in the playoffs for the CIFNCS Division 1 champs, allowing three total runs in four section playoff victories. On the season, she went 19-6 with 110 strikeouts. It was California's first NCS championship in any division.

C Delaina Ma'ae – Pacifica (Garden Grove) – Jr.

Ma'ae caught fire down the stretch to help power Pacifica to a Southern Section D1 championship. A backstop who can play just about every other position, Ma'ae hit .440 with five homers, 26 RBIs, and a 1.191 OPS. During the playoffs she caught fire, going 9 for 18 with two long balls, eight RBIs, and seven runs. 

INF McKenna Woliczko – Archbishop Mitty – Fr.

After establishing herself as the fourth-ranked basketball recruit in the Class of 2026 and earning national Freshman of the Year honors, Woliczko proved to be as good at softball as basketball. She hit .429 with two home runs and team-leading marks of 23 RBIs, 22 runs scored, and a 1.081 OPS while shining in the field at shortstop. Both her parents played at the University of Pacific, her mom Erica in softball and dad Aaron in basketball. 

INF Alyssa Hovermale – Norco – Sr.

Hovermale, a Florida commit, took a major leap as a senior to help guide Norco back into section, state, and national contention. She hit .488 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs for the CIFSS D1 finalist.

INF Aleena Garcia – Whittier Christian – Jr.

The UCLA commit was one of the most dominant hitters in SoCal and beyond for the CIFSS D2 quarterfinalist. Garcia batted .653 with seven homers, 36 total extra-base hits, and 39 RBIs, good for an enormous 1.883 OPS. She also stole 18 bases en-route to scoring 61 runs, which was third in the state.

INF Rylee McCoy – Oaks Christian – Jr.

The Oregon commit hit a team-high .514 (tied) with 11 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 48 runs, good for a 1.587 OPS.

OF Regan Shockey – Chino Hills – Sr.

For the fourth year in a row, Shockey was one of the top contact hitters in the Southern Section and a versatile defensive ace. The Arizona commit hit .520 with 27 RBIs, 26 runs scored, and a 1.309 OPS.

OF Taylor Schumaker – Esperanza – Jr.

A Florida commit and MVP of the Crestview League, Schumaker hit .471 with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs, and stole 15 bases on her way to scoring 41 runs.

OF Grace Peffley – Hollister – So.

Peffley led the state's top team with a .515 batting average. She also registered two home runs, 34 runs, 29 stolen bags, and 19 RBIs.

UTIL: P/3B Ana Niles – Ponderosa – Sr.

A two-way star all season long, Niles particularly found another gear in the circle come playoff time to lead Ponderosa to postseason glory. On the year, she hit .426 with 10 homers, 33 RBIs, and a 1.355 OPS, and went 16-3 with a 1.29 ERA in 124.1 innings. In the Bruins' five playoff victories, which culminated in a CIFSJS D3 title and Division III regional finals appearance, Niles held postseason opponents to four earned runs (five total) in 34 innings.

UTIL: P/3B Danni Farris – East Nicolaus – Sr.

The Pittsburgh commit was one of both the most dominant hitters and relief pitchers in the state for the Northern Section monolith. Farris went 7-0 with a 0.68 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 51.1 innings, and recorded career-highs in every offensive category too. She hit .614 with nine homers, 43 RBIs, 38 runs scored, and a lofty 1.753 OPS.

UTIL: P/INF Jacquelyn Lujan – Orestimba – Sr.

Lujan was one of the top two-way stars in the Sac-Joaquin Section for the section D5 champion and CIF Northern Region D4 finalist. The Simpson signee went 22-4 with a 0.69 ERA, 318 strikeouts, and a 0.73 WHIP in 173 innings, and hit .541 with 4 home runs, 31 RBIs, 31 runs, and a 1.440 OPS.

UTIL: P/OF Ayla Tuua – Capital Christian – Fr.

The first freshman to ever win Player of the Year for the Sacramento Bee, Tuua lifted the Cougars to section and regional titles at the Division 4 level. In six playoff games, she held opponents to five total earned runs and fanned 73 batters in 38 innings, finishing the year with a 1.20 ERA. Tuua also hit .545 with 12 home runs, 50 RBIs, 33 runs scored, and a huge 1.880 OPS.

UTIL: P Ainsley Waddell – – Sr.

The UC Santa Barbara commit put up prolific numbers on both sides of the ball on her way to being named the San Mateo Daily Journal Player of the Year. Waddell hit .595 with four home runs, 25 RBIs, and a 1.626 OPS, all the while going 17-5 in the circle with a 1.49 ERA and 254 strikeouts in 159.1 innings.

THIRD TEAM

P Berkley Vance – Los Alamitos – Sr.

Vance was one of the most reliable pitchers in SoCal for the champions of the Sunset Surf League and the Carew Classic, and if there were a "comeback player of the year" award, it would be hers. After missing her junior year with an injury, the Seattle commit went 16-3 with a 2.02 ERA against arguably the toughest schedule in the state.

P Mia Nishikawa – Central (Fresno) – Sr.

The Fresno Bee large school player of the year, Nishikawa was the ace for the Central Section D1 champion. She went 17-6 with a 0.99 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP, and 189 strikeouts in 120.2 innings. The St. Mary's signee's best performance was probably her last one, coming in the regional semifinals, in which she held Saint Francis (Mountain View) scoreless for eight innings until surrendering the game's only run in the ninth to arguably the state's deepest lineup.

P Sophia Cardinale – Notre Dame (Salinas) – So.

One could argue that Cardinale was the top breakout star in California among pitchers in 2023. She went 15-3 with 169 K's and a WHIP below 1.00 in 139 innings, never allowing more than three earned runs in a game and only giving up more than two earned runs twice. Cardinale shut out all three of Notre Dame's CIFCCS D2 playoff opponents, and was also an asset at the plate with a .359 batting average in 44 PAs.

P Madeline Lawson – Pleasant Grove – So.

Another sophomore breakout star, Lawson was the 49ers Sac-Hi Sports (northern region) pitcher of the year, and a solid hitter too. She went 14-1 with a 0.95 ERA, 201 K's, and a 0.79 WHIP while batting .371.

C Audree Mendoza – Rancho Bernardo – Sr.

Mendoza was a steady, clutch hitter for the No. 2 team in the San Diego Section, batting .404 with 13 extra-base hits and 22 RBIs. However, the future Nittany Lion made her biggest impact in the field, where she's known as one of the best defensive backstops in California and beyond.

INF Samantha Bland – Chino Hills – Sr.

Facing one of the toughest schedules in California, the Nebraska commit batted .433 with 28 RBIs and team-highs of 7 home runs, 38 runs scored, and 1.332 OPS.

INF Mariah Hopkins – Rancho Cordova – Sr.

The Dominican University of California commit was one of the most dominant offensive forces in the Sac-Joaquin Section and beyond. Hopkins packed 15 homers, 42 RBIs, 21 stolen bags, and 38 runs scored into 22 games while hitting .547, good for an amazing 2.167 OPS.

INF Kaniya Bragg – Pacifica (Garden Grove) – Jr.

The UCLA commit was a playoff hero for the Southern Section's top dog. In five postseason victories, Bragg went 5-11 and drew 5 walks, and came around to score 8 times. She was also a gold glove candidate at shortstop.

INF Jazmin Williams – Steele Canyon – Sr.

The San Diego Union-Tribune player of the year and a Fullerton commit, Williams was by many accounts the best hitter in the CIFSDS as a senior. She batted .596 with 11 home runs, 37 total extra-base hits, 45 RBIs, 39 runs scored, and a 1.879 OPS.

OF Taelyn Holley – Murrieta Mesa – So.

Holley continued proving herself as one of the best outfielders in her class for the CIFSS D1 semifinalist. She hit .476 with 7 homers and 24 RBIs, recorded team-highs of 15 steals and 43 runs scored, and was errorless in the field on the season.

OF Ilove'a Brittingham – Oaks Christian – Jr.

One of the top breakout stars in the state, Brittingham emerged as a key power bat to help her lineup set a new state record with 68 collective home runs. She hit .419 with 13 long balls, 43 RBIs, and 35 runs scored, and hit safely in all six playoff games to finish the year on an 11-game hitting streak. 

OF Haley Reeve – Bullard – Sr.

Reeve led the 27-6 Knights to the Central Section Division 1 title game. She was named a first team all-region selection by the NFCA.

UTIL: P/INF Olivia Bauer – Sutter – Jr.

Already recognized as an elite pitcher before her junior season, Bauer took a big leap in the batter's box in 2023 en-route to being named the 49ers Sac-Hi Sports (northern region) player of the year. The Boise State pledge went 23-2 with a 1.04 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 141 innings, and led the 26-2 Huskies with a .527 batting average. In a season-ending playoff loss to Orestimba, Bauer tossed eight scoreless innings before Sutter fell in the ninth.

UTIL: P/OF Olivia Manchester – Vista del Lago (Folsom) – Sr.

The Canisius College commit led the Eagles to a 26-3 season with a 0.98 ERA and 159 K's in 106.2 innings while batting .495.

UTIL: P/INF Delainey Everett – Oakdale – Sr.

Everett, a Mississippi State commit, was a two-way force once again for the Mustangs. She hit .446 with 2 home runs, 34 RBIs, and a 1.317 OPs, and went 12-3 with a 0.98 ERA and 155 K's in 88.1 innings.

UTIL: P Auddrey Lira – Villa Park – So.

As a sophomore, Lira established herself as one of the top 2025 two-way stars in the state. She went 17-9 with a 2.21 ERA in 169 innings and hit .482 with 9 home runs and 38 RBIs.

UTIL: P/1B Hannah Duncan – Whitney (Rocklin) – Jr.

Duncan took over in the playoffs to guide Whitney to a Sac-Joaquin Section D2 title and striking distance of a Division 1 regional title. For the season as a whole, she registered 198 strikeouts and a 1.68 ERA in 158.2 innings before holding five playoff opponents to 9 total earned runs in 34 innings. Most notably, Duncan tossed a two-hitter with 12 K's and no earned runs to take down Vacaville in the section finals, and pitched Archbishop Mitty and Hollister tough in regional playoff games.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

P Caylea Rains-Campbell – Murrieta Mesa – Sr.

P Miranda de Nava – Riverside Poly – Jr.

P Avery Seva – Granite Bay – Sr.

P Riley Laygo – Whittier Christian – Sr.

P Cambria Salmon – Beaumont – Jr.

P Alexandra Mello – Granada (Livermore) – Sr.

P Jasmine Whorley – Alameda – Sr.

P Lila Partridge – Casa Grande – So.

P Madi McDonnell – Capistrano Valley – Jr.

P Kailey Estes – Gregori – Jr.

P Ainsley Berlingeri – Camarillo – Sr.

P Alana Clincy – Willow Glen – Fr.

C Mariana Palazuelos – Rio Mesa – Sr.

C Ava Gall – El Capitan – Sr.

C Makayla Freshour – Vacaville – Sr.

C Brooklyn Paratore – Oak Ridge – Fr.

INF Samantha Rey – Notre Dame (Salinas) – Sr.

INF Soo-Jin Berry – Clayton Valley Charter – Sr.

INF Alex Cutonilli – Heritage (Brentwood) – Sr.

OF Lexi O'Gorman – Saint Francis (Mountain View) – Sr.

OF Whitney Montoya — Ponderosa — Sr. 

OF Kealani Nitta – Franklin (Elk Grove) – Sr.