Arkansas' best high school softball players: Meet the state's top third basemen

Some of the top third basemen in Arkansas prep softball

By Kyle Sutherland I Photo by Amanda Franklin 

With the high school softball season in full swing, SBLive is looking at the best players in Arkansas. Today, we feature some of the top third basemen across all classifications.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not meant to be a comprehensive list as there are hundreds of great third basemen statewide. These are players we have seen along with recommendations from coaches. Our lists are solely to give recognition to athletes. Also, for the purpose of balancing the lists, along with players consistently being moved around, some might be mentioned with their secondary positions.

Emalea Bailey | Nashville | SO

Bailey bats either fifth or eighth for the Scrapperettes depending on the situation and has hit a solid .647 with a .971 slugging percentage through the first week of April while only striking out three times. Due to some shifts in the infield, Bailey has lined up at catcher mostly this season but continues to play third when not behind the plate.

Bryley Bowman | Bauxite | JR

Bowman has contributed at just about every position for the Lady Miners since her freshman year but is a natural at third and has done a “solid job” according to the Bauxite head coach Maddie Rhodes. Bowman has hit just under .400 with an on base percentage of around .550.

“At the plate, she finds a way to make things happen,” Rhodes said. “Over 50% of her plate appearances are quality at-bats, and she leads the team in quality at-bats.

Emery Cash | Gosnell | SR

The Lady Pirates’ team captain has produced big moments for quite some time and from an individual standpoint she had as great of a week to begin April that you could imagine getting inducted in the National Honor Society and then hit a home run on April 7 against Hoxie helping Gosnell win 4-2.

Cada Collins | Bismarck | SO

Collins has batted around .430 midway through her sophomore year and defensively has compiled a .917 field percentage as a lockdown defender. Bismarck head coach Bradley Loy mentioned that she “hits the ball hard somewhere almost every time up.”

“Cada has a lot of strengths, but her strongest is her softball IQ,” Loy said. “She makes a lot of good decisions offensively and defensively. She is a great teammate who encourages her team constantly.”

Lexie Dale | Southside Batesville | SR

Dale, a four-year starter, has been a key piece of a Lady Southerners offense that has put up incredible offensive numbers this season. She has hit .660 while scoring 28 runs, 2 triples, an on base percentage of .730, and has stolen 20 bases as of mid-April. She is primarily at third, but also plays second when the situation arises.

“Lexie has a great glove and [on offense] always finds a way to get on base,” Lady Southerners head coach Bo Gould said. 

Justine Davidson | Farmington | SO

Farmington head coach Jason Shirey mentioned prior to the season that Davidson was one of “a solid group of underclassmen” that contributed last season on the way to the state semifinals-and she has lived up to that. This year she has hit just shy of .370 at the plate and been one of the team leaders in runs batted in.

Madeline Freeman | Hackett | SR

Freeman is part of a senior trio who brings a lot of experience to the Lady Hornets’ lineup batting cleanup. Hackett head coach Jeff Oxford pointed out her two out double against Boonville on March 16 as the “difference in the game.”

“Madeline has been clutch all year,” Oxford said. “She has come up with timely hits in big spots.”

Amelia Gassman | North Little Rock | SR

Gassman is the ace in the circle for the Lady Charging Wildcats, but her head coach Courtney Clark defines her as a player who can do more than just pitch but can “also become your fifth outfielder.” Clark also mentioned that her most remarkable trait is her ability to defend the middle. Through mid-April, Gassman has batted .418 with an on base percentage of .439.

Aidan Gorton | Valley Springs | JR

Gorton had an incredible March batting .760 with 25 runs batted in, 6 home runs, 20 runs scored, 5 doubles, 4 triples, and 8 stolen bases. Her primary position is at catcher, which she calls all games for the Lady Tigers as well as her travel team. When not behind the plate or at third, she plays second as a very versatile utility player.

Emily Graves | Fordyce | JR

The efficient junior and Three Rivers College commit bats second in the lineup and is hitting .442 has an on base percentage of .537 with seven doubles, two triples, and two home runs through with an .897 fielding percentage on defense as of mid-April. Per Lady Bugs head coach Rebecca Cash, Graves has great glovework and makes the most of her at-bats, typically getting deep in the count.

Maggie Groves | Maumelle | JR

Groves committed to her “dream school”, Hendrix College, and as of mid-April she has had a great junior season doubling her stats from last season hitting .528 at the plate with an on base percentage of .667. She has continued to improve as a hitter along with her reaction time and covering the line.

Maddi Hankins | McCrory | SR

After starting her high school career as an outfielder, then later moving to second base, Hankins “has finally settled in” as the Lady Jaguars’ third baseman per her head coach Ronnie Massanelli.

“Maddi makes good defensive plays and decisions at third,” he said. “She is one of our leaders who has been with us for four years.”

Hagen Hord | Stuttgart | SR

Hord has missed six games this year due to injury but has returned with a vengeance leading the Lady Ricebirds in batting average hitting .476 with a .500 on base percentage. Defensively, it is pretty much a given she will shut down the bunt at third or anything that comes in her direction. She is described as a vocal leader for the team and always helps her teammates get in the right position.

Heidi May | Taylor | SO

Taylor is hoping to win its fifth straight Class 1A state title this season and May is part of yet another young group of great talent for the Lady Tigers, which they are no stranger to. As of the first two weeks of April, she has hit.486 with an on base percentage of .548. Her fielding percentage playing third sits at .867 which is pretty good considering she has face some of the top batters in the state against teams such as Bauxite, Malvern, and Nashville.

AJ McCandlis | Viola | JR

McCandlis is probably the best basketball player in Class 1A and finished fourth in last year’s golf state tournament, but she is also not too shabby on the diamond playing both pitcher and third. This season she has hit .417, with five triples, 10 RBI, with 9 runs scored as of early April. She has been a major piece to a team that has realistically overachieved against a tough schedule.

Bryanna McCoy | Pottsville | SR

McCoy has hit just shy of .400 this season batting both cleanup and fifth depending on the scenario. Defensively, she has a quick reaction at third and is not afraid of the ball. Pottsville head coach Lyndsey Hill also mentioned that she reads the bunt well.

“Bryanna is our team leader,” Hill said. “She is not afraid to say what needs to be said, nor to do what needs to be done. She always has something positive and uplifting to say to her teammates.”

Katie Midkiff | Baptist Prep | JR

Midkiff has started for the Lady Eagles since her freshman year at various spots. She is being utilized more so as a pitcher this year but was very successful playing a lot of third base last season. In a 9-1 state championship victory over Hoxie last season, she came up big going 2-3 at the plate scoring a run and batting in three more.

Emerson Miller | Marion | SR

The University of West Georgia signee filled out the stat sheet last year batting .580 with 18 home runs, 12 doubles, 10 triples, 52 runs batted in, 57 runs scored, and was a stellar 16 for 16 in stolen bases. She did all of this on the diamond while also maintaining a 4.16 GPA.

“In my opinion she could easily be in the running for best player in the state,” Marion head coach Sean Gray said. “She is extremely fast, hits for average and power.”

Brinkley Moreton | Lincoln | FR

Moreton is having one of the most dominant seasons ever established by an underclassman in state history. In a late March doubleheader sweep over Greenland, she hit three home runs and collected 15 runs batted in for both games, in which one of them she set the state record for RBIs in a single game with 10. She has also been stellar in the circle: at the end of March, she had pitched 58.2 innings, went 9-1, with an ERA of 1.5 and an incredible 116 strikeouts.

Taelynn Perry | Alma | SR

A four-year starter for the Lady Airedales, there are few things the Eastern Oklahoma State College signee cannot do. As of mid-April, Perry was third on the team batting .484 with 16 runs batted in and 2 home runs.

“Taelynn is someone we look for to get a hit whenever we need it,” Alma head coach Charla Parrish said.

MacKenzie Preston | Smackover | SR

Preston has been the starter at third since her sophomore year, but due to injuries in the outfield she voluntarily moved to center field at the beginning of the season to help the team. She possesses a strong arm along with a powerful bat and rarely makes mistakes. At the plate, she has hit .324 with a .409 on base percentage to go with 12 runs batted in (second on the team) as of mid-April.

“MaKenzie is about as dependable as can be,” Smackover assistant David Preston said. “She is always doing things right and working hard. She is just solid all the way around.”

Izzy Sawyer | Magnet Cove | SO

Sawyer was out for her entire freshman season due to a knee injury but has recovered and is “exceptional on the field” according to Magnet Cove head coach Hunter Vincent. At the plate, she has hit just over .300 with a .550 on base percentage and defensively she has been solid covering third with a .920 fielding percentage on 27 chances (that number through April 8).

Sadie Smith | Little Rock Christian | SO

Smith is utilized at multiple positions, but third is her primary spot. As of the first week of April she recorded an .882 fielding percentage. She bats fifth in the Lady Warriors’ lineup and has hit .500.

“Sadie is hitting the ball well this year,” Lady Warriors head coach Caitlin Jones said. “She has a strong arm and fields the bunt well.”

Madi Thompson | Quitman | SR

Thompson has led the Lady Bulldogs in runs batted in this year as a power hitter batting either both third as well as cleanup and is one of the top power hitters in the lineup. If she is not holding down third, she will more than likely be in the circle pitching.

“Madi is excellent at third base,” Quitman head coach Stephanie Davis said. “Very sound.”

Brooke Turner | Booneville | SR

When the situation arises, Turner is in the circle pitching, but her natural spot is third and she plays it well. She was slowed by injury last season and was used more in a flex role. She is back to full strength this season and really packs a punch with her swing. Turner leads the team through mid-April in batting average (.541), singles (15), and runs batted in (19).