2027 Stock Risers From The Southwest

As the weather heats up in the Southwest so does the level of play on the softball field. It's playoff time for multiple high school athletes, and with that comes pressure. But it also brings a chance to stand out and put yourself in the spotlight. The athletes chosen for this article have done just that, and their teams are primed for deep postseason runs.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five 2027 players from the Southwest who are heating up just in time for the summer recruiting season.    Brylee Litviak had 25 extra-base hits her freshman year to go along with a .539 batting average and a 1.013 slugging percentage. That is a dream come true kind of season for any softball player. However, for Litviak, it was only the beginning. In her sophomore campaign she has upped the total to 30 extra-base hits, including 16 doubles, nine home runs, 56 hits, 53 runs scored, 45 RBIs, a .577 batting average and a 1.124 slugging percentage as of this writing. She has improved in every facet of her game, including her defense, only committing six errors so far this season, which is down from 12 during her freshman season. She has also shown the clutch gene in the batter's box. In the last two playoff games for the Poston Butte Broncos, she has gone 5-for-8 with four RBIs and three doubles in her team's two victories. She has shown dedication to her performance on the field, and is, without a doubt, a stock riser.     To say Angie Falls is having a special season would be an understatement. She is almost unhittable. As of this writing, the sophomore has a minuscule 0.30 ERA in 93 innings pitched. She has a 12-1 record with 191 strikeouts, four earned runs, and an opponent batting average of .069. She recently helped send her Xavier College Prep Gators to the 6A state semifinals in Arizona with a complete-game, 12-strikeout masterpiece in a 1-0 victory over the Queen Creek Bulldogs, which is the same team she defeated last year in the circle for the title. She has been especially tough to face late in the season. Since March 29, she has given up one earned run in 55 innings. In addition to all of this, she has a .402 batting average so far this season with 30 RBIs, 10 doubles and four home runs. The Gators are poised to repeat as state champs, and Angie Falls once again is leading the way.     Aubrey Chavez has had a stellar year in the circle for the Queen Creek Bulldogs. At the time of this writing, the sophomore ace has thrown four complete-game shutouts, including a no-hitter and a combined perfect game. She also has had six outings with double-digit strikeouts, 14 wins, a 2.29 ERA, and 167 strikeouts. Her strikeout-to-walk ratio for the season is an almost unbelievable 8.78. After appearing in only eight games last season, she has helped lead the Bulldogs to a deep postseason run this time around. Similar to Falls, she also has had a productive season at the plate with four doubles and two home runs. She can help a college team in every aspect of the game in the future.     With Brielle Gardiner, it's easier to ask what hasn't she done in her career so far. The reigning Utah Gatorade Player of the Year entered her sophomore season coming off a state title with the Ridgeline Riverhawks, in which she had a 27-1 record, 0.78 ERA, and 246 strikeouts. As of this writing, exactly half of Gardiner's hits so far this season have been home runs. After hitting nine bombs last year, she has blasted 16 this year, along with a .571 batting average and a .671 on-base percentage. She has kept up her success in the circle as well, notching eight wins, a 1.45 ERA, and 89 strikeouts. She has an astounding 0.96 career ERA so far, and with her power at the plate, she is clearly not only one of the best 2027 players in the Southwest, but also one of the best in the country.     The Riverdale Ridge Ravens were crowned 5A state champions in Colorado last fall, and Peyton Saenz played a big part in her team's magical run. The sophomore blasted four home runs during the postseason for a grand total of 13 on the year to lead the squad. After driving in 26 runs during her freshman season, she drove in 50 last season. And after notching 20 extra-base hits her freshman year, she racked up 25 of them in her sophomore campaign. She finished tied for first among all sophomores in Colorado for home runs, and ranked third in RBIs and fourth in runs scored. Good luck trying to strike her out, as she only has 11 strikeouts through two full seasons of play. Saenz also provides quality defense in the infield, and is a pro at turning double plays. She has already turned six so far in her career. It's clear that she will only continue to improve, and her stock will continue to rise.

As the weather heats up in the Southwest so does the level of play on the softball field. It's playoff time for multiple high school athletes, and with that comes pressure. But it also brings a chance to stand out and put yourself in the spotlight. The athletes chosen for this article have done just that, and their teams are primed for deep postseason runs.