April’s High School Hitters Of The Month

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the many states where softball is a spring sport, we have reached the point in the season where players, coaches, teams and fans are stepping up their games with the regular season coming to a close and tournament play looming.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For teams that can boast about successful Aprils, a big reason for that is because of the work their bats did at the plate. If a team's lineup can put crooked numbers on the board, it can make it extremely difficult for their competition to match said offensive firepower run for run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Without further ado, here are five names who were tough for pitchers to contend with in April.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105947,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jaida Thomas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"28","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Tampa Bay Tech","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Tampa Mustangs","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6805a17ea7458"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jaida Thomas' Tampa Bay Tech team has gone from only five wins during the 2023-24 season to double-digit victories this year. A few months ago, it was revealed that she would play her collegiate softball at Jacksonville University. The Dolphin-to-be has spearheaded a massive turnaround for the Titans. She boasted an on-base percentage in the .800s at the time of this writing, and primarily gets on base by swinging the bat, including hitting eight home runs and collecting 32 RBIs. Thomas has also delivered 10 triples and has scored on 42 occasions. She primarily plays in the outfield and bats from the right side of the plate. Thomas' career has also included a stint in the travel realm with the Tampa Mustangs.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105952,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kansas Craig","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"24","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Anna-Jonesboro ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Athletics Mercado Gold","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6805a17ea7524"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A Kansas representing Illinois. Kansas Craig has kept a full athletic plate during her time at Anna-Jonesboro as she has also played basketball and volleyball. The Wildcats have compiled 20-win seasons over the last three years, and Craig's Anna-Jonesboro team is poised for another 20-win campaign this year. At the time of this writing, Craig had slugged out 16 home runs and plated 48. She had also scored 50 runs along with hitting 17 doubles and three triples. Craig primarily thrives on the left side of the infield as a shortstop and third baseman. When her softball career concludes at the high school level, Craig will bring her talents to SIU-Edwardsville.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105954,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Anaya Romero","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"29","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"La Joya","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"AZ Rising 16U Appel","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6805a17ea75e0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">When mentioning turnarounds across the Grand Canyon State, look no further than Anaya Romero's 2025 Lobos rendition. Romero's 5A La Joya squad has gone from a five-win season in 2024 to 14 victories this go-round. She concluded last season with a .677 average and has followed it up by hitting .750 through 18 games this season. She has also clubbed 17 over the outfield fence while driving in 64 runs and scoring 45. Her 2024-25 resume has also included nine doubles and three triples. One of the premier softball talents across Arizona, she will call the state north of the Grand Canyon State home in college—Romero is a Utah State commit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["89589"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6805a17ea766f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Speaking of multi-sport athletes, Rylie Johnson competes in basketball when she is not busy with her softball exploits. She has also played at the high school level since she was an eighth grader. Johnson is one of Virginia's signature talents on a Fredericksburg Christian team that has been used to winning over the last several seasons. When her season with the Eagles concludes, she will call Baton Rouge, Louisiana home as she is committed to LSU. This season, Johnson has led Fredericksburg Christian in a number of statistical categories, including batting average, on-base percentage, home runs, RBIs and runs scored. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105956,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Callee Leffler","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"28","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pine Grove","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Newtown Rock Gold-Garvey","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6805a17ea7721"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Callee Leffler is another two-sport athlete on this list. As is the case for Virginia's Johnson, Pennsylvania's Leffler also plays basketball during the winter and softball in the spring. She burst onto the Keystone State's softball scene in her freshman season, posting a .529 batting average, and hit a robust .649 through 13 games this season at Pine Grove. The Cardinals were 12-1 so far this season at the time of this writing. Leffler had also put together a .740 on-base percentage. Opponents also have to have a game plan for her when she is on the base paths—Leffler has stolen 17 bases this spring. She has also scored 31 runs and hit eight triples in 2025. Following the 2026 season, Leffler will head south to Florida State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->