2028s Making An Impact In Fall High School Softball

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The class of 2028 may just be establishing themselves as high school sophomores, but a handful of rising stars in this class are already proving they belong on the big stage. This fall, these young standouts have stepped into varsity lineups in states where high school softball is played in the fall and made their presence felt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below, Prep Softball highlights five 2028 prospects who are making an impact in fall high school softball this year.</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":144401,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Olivia Cantarutti","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_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":"30","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Lambert (GA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Athletics Gold Tamborra/Martin 2028","_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-68c1923eb5e35"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roughly half the season is in the books for 6A Lambert, and Olivia Cantarutti is following up what was a solid freshman season with an even better performance as a sophomore. During the months of club softball, she plays for Athletics Gold Tamborra/Martin 2028. Cantarutti's four home runs she has hit is among the leaders for Peach State sophomores. Cantarutti can play multiple spots on the field, including in the middle infield, behind the plate and in the circle. She has also posted a .372 batting average with 19 RBIs in addition to eight doubles thus far this season. Cantarutti has also scored 16 of the Longhorns' runs this year. </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":144403,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Olivia McDermott","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"23","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cherry Creek (CO)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Colorado Batbusters 16U National Smith","_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-68c1923eb5f2e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Speaking of Olivias, there is one in the Centennial State who is contributing to a solid season so far for 5A Cherry Creek. Olivia McDermott is in the top 10 among Colorado sophomores in batting average at .649, which also leads her Bruins in that category. She has been difficult for opposing pitchers to contend with this year, as she's posted a team-leading .683 on-base percentage thus far. McDermott also has team leads in doubles with 15, RBIs with 20 and runs scored with 12. She also ranks second on her team in fielding percentage. She wears the Colorado Batbusters 16U National Smith uniform during the club softball campaign. </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":144405,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Lily Shoemake","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_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":"30","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Laurel Christian (MS)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Southern Select ","_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-68c1923eb600e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lily Shoemake has made plenty of things happen this season for Laurel Christian. As of this writing, the Lions are 16-3 and in the throes of an elongated winning streak in large part because of Shoemake's bat and presence on the basepaths. Shoemake's cleats have made contact with home plate on 16 occasions thus far this season, leading sophomores in Mississippi. Through 19 games, Shoemake has hit .345. She places more emphasis on contact hitting as opposed to power, as evidenced by her 19 singles along with her 13 RBIs. Shoemake's offseason included winning a DYS World Series Championship with Laurel Jones County All-Stars. </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":117103,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Sophie Young","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_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":"19","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Michael the Archangel (MO)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Top Gun National 18U Groves","_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-68c1923eb60f8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">We previously wrote about Sophie Young as <a href="https://prepsoftball.com/2025/08/22/2028s-who-embraced-the-grind-and-grew-all-summer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one of our 2028s who grew all summer after embracing the grind</a>. That effort is translating into more success for her during her high school softball season. With plenty of season to go, Young's St. Michael the Archangel team should certainly eclipse the 12 wins the Guardians earned in 2024. Among Mississippi pitchers, Young is the only one with a sub-three ERA at 2.23. She is 4-2 thus far and has allowed 12 earned runs to 16 walks, while striking out 55 batters. Young is also contributing for her team at the plate this year, as she is the Guardians' leader in doubles, RBIs and slugging percentage.</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":144407,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Paelyn Clark","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_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":"19","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mangum (OK)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Texas Glory 16U","_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-68c1923eb633d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Paelyn Clark is a multi-sport athlete who also plays basketball alongside what she gets accomplished on the softball field. Her 2A Mangum team will certainly improve this year on a 19-win campaign from 2024, thanks in large part to Clark making things difficult for opposing hitters. The Tigers already have 18 wins this season, and Clark is 14-4 with a 1.78 ERA in the circle, which is already better than her 2.19 ERA from last season. She has allowed 18 earned runs and 19 walks to 83 strikeouts thus far this year. Earlier this season, Clark hurled a perfect game and slugged a two-run home run in a matchup against Cheyenne-Reydon. The final score of that contest was 2-0.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->