Ohio's top high school softball players: Meet the state’s best second basemen

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at some of the top softball players in Ohio.

We started with the top first basemen, and now we'll move one station over to the second basemen.

There are hundreds of outstanding second basemen in Ohio, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive! Tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @SBLiveOH and let us know about other athletes worthy of fans’ attention.

Note: Many high school softball players excel at multiple positions. Don't be alarmed to see a starting shortstop or ace pitcher listed here as a second baseman, for example.

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Natalie Atkins, Ashland, junior

Atkins had one of the best seasons in program history as a sophomore. She finished the year with 49 runs scored, 14 more than the previous program record that had stood since 1986. She and Kristen Stromack tied for the most hits in a single season in program history with 47, and she was just two home runs shy of the school record with five.

Matti Benson, Louisville, sophomore

Benson hits leadoff for the Leopards and batted .609 as a freshman with 53 hits, both school records. An exceptional athlete who can play both middle infield positions, she leads the defense with her sound fundamentals and consistency. She covers the dead zones of the field exceptionally well with her speed and is not afraid to leave her feet to make a play for her team.

Abby Bode, Oak Hills, junior

Earned second-team All-Ohio honors last season by hitting .556 with a .604 OBP adding four home runs, five triples and 10 doubles. She broke the school’s single-season RBI record with 45. On the bases, she was a threat with 26 steals. She is a University of Evansville commit.

Abby Buchtel, John Glenn, senior

She earned honorable mention All-Ohio honors last season by hitting .474 with 12 doubles and 38 RBIs. She helped lead John Glenn to the state semifinals.

Avery Davis, Sheridan, sophomore

Davis stepped in a s a freshman and hit .316 for the Generals last season. She will be looked at to continue that production as Sheridan loses five four-year starters from last year’s team that went 22-7.

Jourdyn Driggs, Zanesville, senior

Driggs will be a four-year letter-winner for Zanesville and is entering her second year as a captain. She hit .410 last season and can play multiple positions, including second base, outfield and pitcher.

Gabi Farris, Ursuline, senior

She was named first-team All-Girls Greater Catholic League Conference last season. She was fifth in the conference with 26 hits, seventh in batting average at .473 and led the conference with 22 stolen bases.

Julia Gossett, Massillon Jackson, junior

She hit .463 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs last year as she split time between second base and the pitching circle. Gossett was 12-5 with a 1.64 ERA and had 183 strikeouts in just 107 innings as a pitcher. She has committed to Purdue.

Emma Helwagen, Teays Valley, senior

Helwagen hit .549 and scored 42 runs with 43 stolen bases to capture second-team All-Ohio honors in Division I last year. She is the spark plug that helps kick-start the offense and is a leader on and off the field. Her coach says she cares deeply for her teammates, but also challenges them when needed.

Cameron Kaufman, Sandusky Perkins, junior

Kaufman earned honorable mention All-Ohio last season with a .614 batting average and 51 hits. She drove in 24 runs and stole 60 bases while scoring 40 runs. She has committed to play at Bowling Green.

Lexie Lockwood, Southeastern, senior

As the leadoff hitter, she hit .683 and stole 53 bases as a junior. The 53 steals were a school record. The Shawnee State commit can play either of the two middle infield positions.

Emma McPeek, Maysville, senior

A second-team all-conference selection last season, McPeek already has multiple games this season with multiple hits and RBIs.

Marisa Moore, Peebles, senior

The 5-foot-9 senior earned an honorable mention All-Ohio nod last season with a .574 average, 19 doubles, seven triples and 25 RBIs. Moore can play any position and is a fiery competitor.

Jillian Morr, Lexington, sophomore

Was a first-team All-Northwest District and first-team All-Ohio Cardinal Conference selection last season, hitting .417 with 27 RBIs and 34 runs scored. She shows off her versatility by playing both middle infield and catcher.

Finley Payne, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, senior

A repeat winner of the MVC-Scarlet Player of the Year award, she led the conference with a .742 batting average and 54 RBIs, while tying for first with 13 doubles and was second in the conference with 41 runs scored and 10 home runs. She can also pitch and was 10-3 with a 2.22 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 85 innings.

Madison Perry, Portsmouth, senior

A second-team All-Ohio selection last year, Perry hit .631 with 65 hits, 18 doubles, six triples, 49 runs batted in and eight home runs. She can play second base or shortstop and has committed to play college softball at the University of Rio Grande.

Reese Poston, Lancaster, sophomore

An honorable mention All-Ohio honoree last season, Poston is a right-handed pitcher who plays second base when not pitching. The 5-foot-6 sophomore stands out because she is not only a phenomenal pitcher but a great hitter as well. She led her team to the regional semifinal in Division I as a freshman.

Danielle Robbins, Jonathan Alder, senior

A versatile player who excels at multiple positions, Robbins started in left field for the 2019 championship team as a freshman and hit .500 that season. She followed that up as a junior by hitting .466 with 34 runs scored and 23 stolen bases.

Brooklyn Stewart, Milford, senior

As a junior, she was sixth in the conference with a .560 batting average. She also had 13 doubles and 28 runs batted in. Stewart also gets the job done in the classroom with a 4.20 GPA and has committed to Tennessee Tech.

Mackenzie Ward, Uniontown Lake, senior

Ward hit .398 last year, including a school-record 10 home runs. Her power at the plate has made her dominant against Lake’s opponents, and her consistency in the field makes her an excellent addition to the infield defense.

Katie Wegman, Anderson, senior

She was named second-team all-conference last year with a .456 batting average and 33 RBIs. She was also second in the conference with 15 doubles.