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With the 2022 Texas high school softball playoffs underway, SBLive is taking a closer look at the top softball players across the Lone Star State.

We’ll be analyzing many of the state’s biggest statistical outliers and most sought-after recruits to determine the top players at each position throughout Texas.

We’re starting by taking an inside look at the Top 30 right-handed pitchers in Texas high school softball.

There are hundreds of outstanding right-handed pitchers in Texas, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Tag us on Twitter or Instagram @SBLiveTX and let us know about other right-handed pitchers worthy of fans’ attention.

TOP 30 RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS IN TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

(The list is in alphabetical order)

Amy Abke, Jr., Katy Seven Lakes

Abke, who’s verbally committed to Sam Houston State, has been one of the primary reasons for the Spartans success this year, especially in the playoffs. Since the postseason began, the junior righty has notched 75 strikeouts and a 0.95 ERA in seven complete-game efforts to help Seven Lakes advance to the Class 6A regional semifinals.

Madison Applebe, Sr., Deer Park

Applebe was an integral part of Deer Park’s run to the Class 6A state championship as a junior in 2021 when she tallied 93 strikeouts and a 0.71 ERA in 18 total appearances. The Central Florida signee has taken over as her team’s most trusted arm as a senior and helped guide the Deer back to the regional semifinals.

Ava Brown, Jr., Montgomery Lake Creek

Brown, who’s verbally committed to Florida, has been Lake Creek’s ace and an elite offensive playmaker too. In three seasons and 260 career innings pitched, she has tallied a 0.65 ERA, 518 strikeouts and a 49-0 record.

Nevaeh Brown, Soph., Harker Heights

The Knights sophomore has been one of the best pitchers throughout Central Texas this year. Brown sported a 22-3 record with a 1.87 ERA and 317 strikeouts in 29 appearances in the circle this season.

Morgan Collier, Sr., Chireno

Collier helped lead the Owls to the Region III championship game as one of the state’s top pitchers in Class 1A. The senior has struck out 184, allowed just two home runs and currently owns a 0.51 ERA this season through 110 innings pitched.

Lucy Crowder, Soph., Carrollton Hebron

Few sophomores have been as consistent in the circle as Crowder throughout the 2022 season. She helped lead Hebron to the regional quarterfinals in the 6A playoffs and ended the year with 204 strikeouts, a 1.07 ERA and a 22-7 record after pitching 208 ⅔ innings.

Lindsay Davis, Sr., Troup

Davis, a four-year varsity starter and McNeese State signee, tallied a 20-5 record, a 0.38 ERA and a whopping 329 strikeouts in 146 ⅓ innings pitched this season. She also tossed seven shutouts and four no-hitters, including a perfect game in early March against Waskom, for the Tigers.

Cassidy Fixico, Jr., South Grand Prairie

Fixico has helped propel the Warriors into the regional semifinals in the 6A playoffs. She owns a 23-2 record, 1.70 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 148 IP, and has held her opponents scoreless in 13 of her 28 total appearances in the circle this season.

Allie Floyd, Sr., Boling

Floyd has been one of the top pitchers throughout Southeast Texas since she was honored with the District 24-3A Newcomer of the Year award in 2019. The Louisiana Tech signee tallied a 20-6 record and 1.03 ERA last year as a junior, and finished this season with an 175 strikeouts, a .151 opponents’ batting average and a 1.48 ERA in 94 ⅓ innings pitched.

Citlaly Gutierrez, Sr., Stamford

As a junior, Gutierrez helped the Bulldogs win a state title and was named the MVP of the Class 2A All-Tournament Team at the 2021 UIL Softball State Championships. Gutierrez, a Texas Longhorns signee, has notched a 0.98 ERA, .127 opponent batting average and 1,089 career strikeouts in three seasons at Stamford.

Jensin Hall, Jr., Frisco Heritage

The Coyotes’ junior ace has been one of the Lone Star State’s most dominant righties this year with 328 strikeouts, a 0.70 ERA and a 27-1 record in 28 total appearances. Hall leads all Class 5A pitchers in shutouts (17) and no-hitters (seven) this season too.

Arlette Hernandez, Fresh., La Joya

Hernandez made a huge splash in her varsity debut as one of strongest young arms in South Texas when she struck out 23 in a 10-inning shutout in her first career start versus Mission. The right-handed freshman helped the Coyotes punch a ticket to the 6A playoffs with 323 strikeouts, a 1.31 ERA, a 23-4 record and 13 shutouts in 33 games in the circle.

Carly Holman, Sr., Plano John Paul II

Holman has been one of the best private school pitchers across the state and a major reason why the Cardinals have advanced to the TAPPS Division I state semifinals this year. She has tallied 20 wins, 172 strikeouts and a 1.75 ERA so far this season and helped John Paul II go unbeaten in district play.

Andrea Martinez, Sr., Bishop

Martinez was an integral part of the Badgers’ run to the state tournament last year and continues to be one of the most reliable arms in Class 3A. She ended the regular season with 213 strikeouts, 26 wins, 15 shutouts and a 1.36 ERA in 133 ⅓ innings pitched and has led Bishop back to the regional semifinals this season.

Anyssia Mendoza, Sr., Mathis

Mendoza led the Coastal Bend in strikeouts (301) and was tied for the area lead in wins (29) during a stellar senior season. She also helped lead the Pirates to the regional quarterfinals in the 3A playoffs and ended the 2022 campaign with a 0.90 ERA and one home run allowed in 148 IP.

Madelyn Muller, Sr., Frisco Memorial

The Warriors’ ace has continued to elevate her game throughout her four-year varsity tenure, which led to an extraordinary senior season. Muller led Frisco Memorial’s push to the Class 5A regional quarterfinals with a 21-9 record, a 0.92 ERA, 253 strikeouts and four shutouts in 151 ⅔ innings pitched.

Ainsley Pemberton, Soph., Rockwall

Pemberton demonstrated why she’s one of the most talented young, right-handed pitchers in Texas high school softball during her sophomore season for the Yellowjackets. She notched a 19-0 record, a .140 opponent batting average, a 1.19 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 105 ⅔ IP this year and helped Rockwall rumble to an undefeated district record and 6A area-round playoff appearance too.

Sidne Peters, Jr., Santa Fe

Peters, a Washington Huskies commit, has taken the reins as the ace for an Indians squad that currently sits at 30-4 heading into the Class 5A regional semifinals. She has tallied 37 strikeouts, allowed 10 hits and surrendered one run in 27 IP in five postseason appearances this season, including back-to-back complete game shutouts versus Richmond Foster in the regional quarterfinals and a perfect game against Nederland in the bi-district round.

Samantha Portillo, Sr., San Antonio O’Connor

Portillo has anchored her team in the circle during a dominant season in the Alamo City for the Panthers, who have advanced to the regional semifinals in the Class 6A playoffs. The Incarnate Word signee has registered a 1.00 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 83 ⅔ innings pitched so far this year, while also limiting opposing batters to a cumulative .107 average against and one home run.

Katia Reyes, Sr., Weslaco

Katia Reyes

Reyes has cultivated a reputation as one of the best postseason pitchers in Texas high school softball after fueling back-to-back runs to the regional semifinals in the 6A playoffs. The Panthers’ ace has been lights out in six playoff games so far this season with 63 strikeouts, 16 hits allowed and a 0.74 ERA in 36 ⅔ innings pitched.

Reagan Rios, Jr., Longview

Rios was one of the most effective swing-and-miss pitchers in the Lone Star State in 2022. She racked up 266 strikeouts, a 13-6 record and a 0.73 ERA for the Lobos in 144 innings pitched.

Ariella Saenz, Sr., PSJA North

Ariella Saenz PSJA North softball

Saenz stymied lineups throughout the Rio Grande Valley this year in the circle and also proved to be a valuable offensive weapon. The Raiders’ ace ended the regular season with 145 strikeouts, a 17-0 record, no home runs allowed and as the state’s leader in earned-run average (0.18) after pitching 114 ⅓ innings.

Katy Sanders, Jr., Hamshire-Fannett

Few East Texas pitchers have been as difficult to get on base against than Sanders. The junior righty helped lead the Longhorns to the area round of the 4A playoffs by collecting 313 strikeouts, a .131 opponent batting average, a 0.99 ERA and a 26-4 record through 191 innings in the circle.

Kaylee Schmitz, Sr., Royse City

Royse City has rolled to the regional semifinals in the Class 5A playoffs thanks to Schmitz’s work in the circle. She finished the regular season with 179 strikeouts, 17 wins and a 1.17 ERA

Emma Solis, Sr., Austin Bowie

Emma Solis

Solis is a four-year varsity letter winner and one of the most experienced pitchers in Central Texas. She has been a big part in Bowie’s back-to-back runs to the regional semifinals in the 6A playoffs with 252 strikeouts, a 16-3 record and a 1.20 ERA while holding her opponents to a .136 batting average in 25 games in the circle so far this season.

Grace Sparks, Sr., Crosby

The Ole Miss signee has commanded a lot of attention as one of the state’s top-tier pitching prospects since throwing a perfect game and a no-hitter within 48 hours of each other at the Crosby ISD Tournament as a sophomore. Sparks was recognized as the District 21-5A Pitcher of the Year last season as a junior after recording 199 strikeouts and a 1.27 ERA in 143 IP, and helped power the Cougars (32-8) to the regional quarterfinals in the 5A playoffs as a senior.

Desirae Spearman, Jr., El Paso Hanks

Spearman has been the toughest West Texas pitcher to square off against this season in Class 5A-6A. The junior righty registered a .124 opponent batting average, 155 strikeouts, a 1.78 ERA and a 12-2 record in 19 appearances to help Hanks reach the area round in the 5A playoffs and finish the year undefeated against district competition.

Emma Strood, Sr., League City Clear Springs

Strood has earned a reputation as one of the most elite pitching prospects in the country and the Chargers’ most reliable arm en route to the regional quarterfinals of the 6A playoffs. The LSU signee boasts a 0.98 ERA, 241 strikeouts, a .136 opponents’ batting average and 19 wins in 23 appearances during her senior year.

Lilly Waddell, Jr., New London West Rusk

Waddell has been a standout in the circle during each of her three seasons pitching for the Raiders. She has posted a sub-1.00 ERA every year as a varsity pitcher and owns a 50-5 career record, 659 strikeouts, a 0.69 ERA and a .121 average against through 327 innings of work.

Alexis Warncke, Jr., East Bernard

Warncke, a Baylor commit, has developed into one of the most unhittable pitchers in East Texas. The Brahmas’ flamethrower limited her opposition to a cumulative .119 batting average, struck out 310 batters, picked up 21 wins and a 1.03 ERA through 156 ⅔ IP to help East Bernard battle into the regional semifinals of the Class 3A playoffs.