May’s High School Hitters Of The Month

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the softball calendar, May typically means many states are either wrapping up their state championship schedules or are simply revving up said state championship schedules.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In that exhilarating push for state glory, teams need to ensure their bats and arms are performing at their peak during the fifth month of the calendar year. Here, we recognize those who did just that—and then some—at the plate throughout the past month.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The last thing a team needs is for its bats and arms to put together outstanding regular seasons only for them to not translate into stellar postseason play. Without further ado, here is our list of high school hitters of the month for May.&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":107146,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Haley Rupe","_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":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"22","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mercy (KY)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Tennessee Bombers 18U 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-682ba6ff43189"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A standout from Kentucky, Haley Rupe landed an offer from Columbia State in neighboring Tennessee during the offseason along with one from Lindsey Wilson College back in January. She has also played travel ball for the Tennessee Bombers 18U Gold squad. One of the most recent wins for her Mercy team occurred against DuPont Manual. In that contest, Rupe tallied four hits and plated three as her Jaguars claimed a 9-1 victory over the Crimsons in a contest of two Louisville schools. Rupe's performance in the win over DuPont Manual was a continuation of her stellar work at the dish all season. She leads the team in batting average at .415 and also boasts an on-base percentage of .462, which ranks second on her team. Rupe has also clubbed six homers to go alongside her five doubles and .660 slugging percentage.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["103503"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":107149,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","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-682ba6ff431ee"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nine times out of 10, younger teams do not experience the same success as their more seasoned peers. Those younger squads may not always have sophomore standouts that put up the numbers that Anna Minnick has for Brighton in the metro-Detroit area of Michigan. Minnick is more of a contact hitter than someone who hits for power as evidenced by her .433 batting average and on-base percentage of .475. When Minnick is on the basepaths, opposing batteries have to keep their heads on a swivel, as she has swiped 21 bases in 2025. Minnick is also the team's leader in slugging percentage, hits and runs scored. She is a two-sport athlete who also plays basketball, but softball is clearly her bread-and-butter sport.</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":107151,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Grace Blessing ","_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":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"22","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Narragansett (RI)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_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-682ba6ff43273"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Graceful blessings have arrived to Narragansett softball thanks to this veteran standout. One with an established profile across Rhode Island, Grace Blessing maintains a very busy athletic schedule as she also competes in soccer and basketball alongside her softball accomplishments. The Mariners as of this writing are 11-4 and could be playing their best softball of the season as they are in the throes of a six-game winning streak. One of those victories occurred against Tiverton to snap its undefeated campaign. Blessing slugged a first-inning two-run home run en route to a 9-5 victory over the Tigers. She reached base in three of her four times at the plate in that contest.&nbsp;Blessing also delivered two triples as Narragansett routed Central in a 16-1 decision.</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":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Bayley Gray","_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":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"20","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Campbell County (WY)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Wyoming Havoc","_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-682ba6ff43304"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Home, away, night or day, a team can count on Bayley Gray. She ensured her 4A Campbell County team would be one of the four that would be en route to Cheyenne for the Wyoming state championships this year. Gray slugged two home runs over the outfield fence as the Camels routed the Broncs of Sheridan by a final score of 16-4. The win ensured Campbell County would be the top seed heading into state play. In an earlier contest, Campbell County posted another rout, this time against Cody with the final score reading 22-6. Gray drove in seven runs. She also helped her team with three hits in another blowout victory in regionals against Thunder Basin.&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":107153,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Gwen Nizich","_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":"5'8u0022","_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":"Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kalé (AK)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_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-682ba6ff43399"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gwen Nizich, a junior from Alaska, drove in a pair of runs on two hits as the Crimson Bears routed the Warriors in an 18-0, three-inning contest. She followed that performance up with two more hits and two more RBIs as her squad earned its second of three victories over Wasilla in a 13-7 decision. She finished the weekend slate strong with four hits and four RBIs in the third of three wins over the Warriors in a 22-2 decision. The weekend continued a superb season Nizich has put together for the Crimson Bears that has included a .458 batting average, a .512 on-base percentage, five home runs, 31 RBIs, 10 doubles, two triples and 31 runs scored.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->