Saginaw-area softball players to follow heading into the high school playoffs - mlive.com

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The Michigan high school softball playoffs begin Tuesday with pre-district games with the goal of playing in a state final on Saturday, June 19, at Michigan State University.

There are many Saginaw-area teams eyeing a spot in the final, with top players leading the way.

Winners of the Friday and Saturday districts advance to the regionals on Saturday, June 12, before quarterfinals on Tuesday, June 15, and semifinals Thursday and Friday, June 17-18.

Here are some of the top Saginaw-area softball players, listed alphabetically, to follow heading into the playoffs:

Olivia Bell

Swan Valley

Olivia Bell, a senor left-hander, has teamed with fellow senior Hannah Koch to give Swan Valley a formidable duo on the mound and in the lineup. Bell is hitting .514 for the 23-12 Vikings with 37 runs scored and 37 RBIs. She has 17 doubles with a .575 on-base percentage and .711 slugging percentage. On the mound, Bell is 13-6 with a 1.66 earned run average and 187 strikeouts in 118 innings. She has also earned wins over Tri-Valley Conference East co-champions Frankenmuth and Essexville Garber, with a no-hitter against Garber.

“Her ball moves so much, it’s hard to hit,” Swan Valley coach Tom Kennelly said. “She’s our best hitter and has great instincts on the bases.”

Sydney Borsenik

Bullock Creek

Sydney Borsenik, a junior, has led the Lancers this season, although she has focused more on offense as the season has progressed. As a pitcher, Borsenik was 6-2 with 34 strikeouts in 34 innings.

Offensively, Borsenik is hitting .459 with a .604 slugging percentage and three homers. She has knocked in 42 runs and scored 42 runs with just nine strikeouts in 119 plate appearances.

Brooklyn Compau

Frankenmuth

An injured thumb has kept Brooklyn Compau off the mound toward the end of the regular season, but the Frankenmuth sophomore still put together a dominating sophomore season for the Tri-Valley Conference East co-champions.

In 116 1/3 innings, Compau allowed 58 hits with 215 strikeouts and a 1.56 earned run average. She is 13-6 with seven shutouts.

“She gets all the tough assignments, but she keeps us in all the ballgames,” Frankenmuth coach Brad Walraven said. “She’s been saddled with some tough losses, but she continues to get better. Her work ethic is unbelievably strong.

“She’s really good right now, but she sill can improve. When we put that girl in the circle, we work our defense around her. She gives us a really good chance to win.”

Compau also hits cleanup for the Eagles with a .338 average and 18 RBIs.

Lydia Davenport

Ithaca

Lydia Davenport, a senior at Ithaca, will play for Lansing Community College after starring at Ithaca as a pitcher and hitter.

She is hitting .500 with four doubles and four triples, driving in 30 runs and scoring 17. She has 20 walks and eight strikeouts in 120 plate appearances. As a pitcher, Davenport is 15-3 with 211 strikeouts in 137 innings with a 2.14 earned run average for the 23-11 Yellowjackets. “She’s very competitive and seems to get better the longer she pitches,” Ithaca coach Dar Peska said. “She’s a good baserunner. I very seldom have a courtesy runner for her.”

Trinity Fessler

Millington

Trinity Fessler stars at catcher for a 30-0 Millington team that is ranked No. 1 in the state in Division 3 heading into a Tuesday showdown with Unionville-Sebewaing.

Fessler started in left field for Millington when the Cardinals won the 2019 Division 3 state title. She is hitting .506 with nine doubles, eight homers, 38 RBIs and just six strikeouts.

“Every sport she plays, she’s going to be good at it,” Millington coach Greg Hudie said. “She’s just a great all-around athlete, but she’s also very, very smart. It helps her pick up things and retain a lot of the little stuff that’s important to execute things.”

Madison Martinez

Hemlock

Madison Martinez will play for Central Michigan University as an infielder, but she has become a dominant player this season wherever the Hemlock Huskies have used her. Martinez, a senior, has played shortstop, third base, first base and pitcher.

As a hitter, Martinez has four homers, a .486 average and an .824 slugging percentage. As a pitcher, she is 7-5 with 121 strikeouts and six walks in 73 2/3 innings. Martinez owns a 1.33 earned run average.

“She is the definition of a team player,” Hemlock coach Diana Martinez said. “She’s a great leader for our team. She’ll will play any position for the good of the team.”

Gabby Schloop

Midland High

Gabby Schloop is a four-year varsity player for Midland High and will continue her career next season at Northwood University.

This season, Schloop is hitting .513 with a .589 on-base percentage for the Chemics. She has 24 doubles, three triples and four homers, with 36 RBIs and 71 runs scored. She has walked 28 times with just three strikeouts.

Schloop also has 71 assists at shortstop.

Maggie Thiel

Frankenmuth

Maggie Thiel earned Division 2 all-state honorable mention as a freshman at Swan Valley. As a junior, she is the perfect leadoff hitter for a Frankenmuth team that shared the Tri-Valley Conference East title.

Thiel, who plays third base and pitches, is hitting .520 with a .580 on-base percentage, scoring 50 runs. Thiel has 14 doubles, three triples and a homer, with a school-record 41 stolen bases.

As a pitcher, Thiel is 12-3 for the 27-10 Eagles.

“She has great instincts for the game as far as running the bases,” Frankenmuth coach Brad Walraven said. “When she gets on base, there’s a good chance our 2-3-4 hitters will get her in.

“She’s fun to watch on the bases, no doubt about it. Singles become doubles. She has unbelievable speed. She’s created a lot of trouble on the bases for opponents.”

Morgan Westall

Breckenridge

Morgan Westall made a name for herself as a freshman, pitching Breckenridge to a district title in 2019. She has only improved since then.

This season, the Breckenridge junior is 19-2 with a 0.84 earned run average and 278 strikeouts in 134 innings with 24 walks. At the plate, she is hitting .609 with an .828 slugging percentage.

“We had our first 12 non-conference games canceled because of COVID … who knows where her numbers would be if we had played those games,” Breckenridge coach Michael Ricco said. “She’s really effective at hitting her spots. She never gets rattled. You pitch in 21 games this year, you have to be pretty durable. She’s never blinked an eye when I pitched her in back-to-back games.”

Ashley Ziel

Millington

Ashley Ziel is only 4-foot-11, but the Millington junior has been a giant on the mound for a Cardinals team that is 30-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state in Division 3.

In 24 starts, Ziel is undefeated on the mound with a 0.39 earned run average. In 144 2/3 innings, Ziel has 250 strikeouts. At the plate, Ziel is hitting .490 with 11 doubles, five homers, 25 RBIs, 13 stolen bases and a .542 on-base percentage..

“She doesn’t have a lot of size, but she packs a big punch,” Millington coach Greg Hudie said. “She just absolutely loves softball. She’s a hard-nosed competitor. She loves competition.”

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