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player ready...Top 5 Teams
1. Grant: Bulldogs have enough returning firepower on offense and a deep supply of pitchers to make noise this season. Senior third baseman Erin Bengston, a Holy Cross recruit, smashed 22 home runs and drove in 70 runs last year. Eight starters are back.
2. Warren: Junior Caitlyn Britton is a household name in Lake County after belting 16 home runs and driving in 81 runs. She also had 22 wins as a pitcher. The 2017 News-Sun Softball Player of the Year has committed to Central Michigan. Senior infielder Claire Swedberg, a Penn State recruit, batted .470 as a junior and junior first baseman Kayla Nommensen is another key returnee.
3. Lakes: Shortstop Rachel Becker (Purdue) and first baseman Molly Dietz (Belmont) lead a balanced offensive attack. Kelsey Ulrich, Georgia Ohren and pitcher Kayla Foote emerged as key players last season.
4. Antioch: Junior shortstop Piper Foote, a Western Illinois recruit, headlines a talented group of returnees featuring outfielder Megan Lawrence and infielders Deighton Butenschoen and Avery Malicki.
5. Grayslake Central: Rams must replace standout pitcher Reagen Radke, but they return senior catcher Brooke Heraty. Second baseman Morgan Smigielski, first baseman Elisa Koshy and utility player Lexi Waigand join senior outfielder Nicole Warren as the main returnees.
Top 20 Players
Breanna Adams, Mundelein, senior, pitcher; Destiny Alvarado, Zion-Benton, senior, third baseman; Rachel Becker, Lakes, senior, shortstop; Erin Bengston, Grant, senior, third baseman; Caitlyn Britton, Warren, junior, pitcher; Grace Brown, Grayslake North, junior, infielder; Elizabeth Chialdikas, Lake Zurich, sophomore, catcher; Molly Dietz, Lakes, senior, first baseman; Piper Foote, Antioch, junior, shortstop; Anna Fossier, Stevenson, junior, infielder; Sydney Goessele, Grant, senior, pitcher; Kaitlyn Griffin, Mundelein, senior, first baseman; Natalie Guzman, Waukegan, sophomore, pitcher; Brooke Heraty, Grayslake Central, senior, catcher; Sarah Hoyer, Libertyville, senior, catcher; Megan Lawrence, Antioch, junior, outfielder; Kayla Nommensen, Warren, junior, first baseman; Kayla Serio, Wauconda, junior, pitcher; Claire Swedberg, Warren, senior, second baseman; Sydney Verastegui, Round Lake, junior, second baseman.
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.