Defensive Wizards Who Change Games With Their Gloves

Whether it's behind the plate, at the hot corner or racing around the outfield, good defense is paramount to a successful softball team.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five defensive wizards who change games across the country with outstanding plays.    For the last two years, Kaleigh Ross has been a brick wall behind home plate for Childress High School. In her first taste of varsity ball, she posted a 98.5% fielding percentage on 318 putouts with 13 assists. This year, in 27 games, she did not commit an error. When Kaleigh isn't behind the plate, she's developed the ability to play anywhere on the field, enhancing her defensive prowess and turning her into a must-watch player. At a young age, she's prioritized being a tremendous catcher, and it's led her to being a top backstop in the state of Texas.     K'lene Gutierrez is an incredible two-sport athlete who has also turned into a standout receiver and defensive end for Rosary Academy's flag football team. She uses that athleticism and versatility in softball as a tremendous, lock-down infielder who went all year without committing an error. She's shown an ability to play at all four infield positions, with a skill set that translates anywhere a college coach would need to put her. The best thing for recruits like her is to demonstrate that she can be a factor anywhere on the diamond. K'lene has gone above and beyond that, and continues to enhance her skills as a top defender.     Maria Dozier has turned heads with her ability to hit like a middle-of-the-order bat as well as with her incredible glove behind the plate and at the hot corner. She's been invited to Division I camps at Radford already, and her star is only getting brighter. Maria has been playing softball for the last nine years and has worked her way onto the varsity team, where she won her school's rookie of the year award, and also earned a spot on a national travel team. She uses her past athletic endeavors as a tennis, soccer and basketball player to help enhance her abilities on the diamond.     Much like her counterparts on this list, Mackenzie McGovern is a two-sport athlete who has also seen significant success with Cherry Valley-Springfield's varsity basketball team. She's mainly a catcher, but has seen time around the diamond in both her 8th grade year with the varsity club and this past season as a freshman. She's compiled a 98.4% fielding percentage across 27 varsity games, turning two double plays and catching three players trying to steal bases. She has a chance to grow exponentially in the next three seasons, but has already laid an incredible foundation as a top-notch defender.     Paisley Fraidenburg burst onto the varsity scene this year with Mark Morris and firmly planted herself as a future star with the school. In 29 games, she committed just seven errors behind the plate, assisting on 21 plays and catching 272 total putouts. She's worked tirelessly with the coaching staff and on her own to ensure she continues to grow as a backstop, and her time on the varsity basketball team keeps her in tremendous athletic shape. She has an opportunity to build on a great first crack at the varsity level and become a can't-miss prospect.

Whether it's behind the plate, at the hot corner or racing around the outfield, good defense is paramount to a successful softball team.