SBLive Arkansas all-state softball teams: Benton pitcher Alyssa Houston is player of the year

Stanford signee named player of the year for second consecutive season

By Kyle Sutherland | Photos by Jimmy Jones 

With the 2023 softball season completed, SBLive Arkansas compiled three teams featuring players from all corners of the state along with a player, coach and newcomer of the year. Here are some of the top performers from across every classification. 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

Benton's Alyssa Houston 

Alyssa Houston | Benton | SR

110.2 IP/ 254 K/ .50 ERA/ .067 BAA

.687 BA/ .738 OBP/ 1.361 SLG/ 13 2B/ 2 3B/ 13 HR/ 52 RBI/ 29 R

5A state champion

Bryant head coach Lisa Dreher 

COACH OF THE YEAR

Lisa Dreher, Bryant

Big Red Series champion

6A state champion

Gravette's Laney Chilton 

UNDERCLASSMAN OF THE YEAR

Laney Chilton, Gravette

.459 BA/ .511 OBP/ .906 SLG/ 10 2B/ 2 3B/ 8 HR/ 43 RBI/ 31 R/ 12 SB

4A state champion

First Team

PITCHERS

Akayla Barnard | Cabot | SR

108.1 IP/ 182 K/ 1.62 ERA/ .938 WHIP

.507 BA/ .544 OBP/ 1.181 SLG/ 4 2B/ 1 3B/ 14 HR/ 43 RBI/ 33 R

Emory Bowlin | Pea Ridge | SO

169 IP/ 272 K/ .91 ERA/ .805 WHIP

.400 BA/ /467 OBP/ .537 SLG/ 7 2B/ 2 HR/ 30 RBI

Alyssa Houston | Benton | SR

Brinkley Moreton | Lincoln | SO

140 IP/ 258 K/ 1.94 ERA/ .189 BAA

.553 BA/ .659 OBP/ 1.340 SLG/ 15 2B/ 4 3B/ 17 HR/ 53 RBI/ 53 R

Klaire Womack | Riverside | SO

127.2 IP/ 259 K/ 1.21 ERA/ .178 BAA

.368 BA/ .424 OBP/ .579 SLG/ 5 2B/ 1 3B/ 3 HR/ 22 RBI/ 24 R

INFIELDERS

Taviah Bradley | Russellville | SR

.502 BA/ .603 OBP/ 1.149 SLG/ 9 HR/ 38 RBI

Makenzie Guy | Sylvan Hills | JR

.557 BA/ .602 SLG/ 1.186 SLG/ 9 2B/ 7 3B/ 7 HR/ 40 RBI/ 37 R

Emma King | Bauxite | SO

.500 BA/ .602 OBP/ 1.117/ 10 2B/ 3 3B/ 14 HR/ 49 RBI/ 34 R

Trista Peterson | Bentonville | SR

.469 BA/ .526 OBP/ .969 SLG/ 14 2B/ 1 3B/ 11 HR/ 51 RBI/ 38 R

Kasey Wood | Bentonville | SR

.448 BA/ .528 OBP/ .954 SLG/ 8 2B/ 6 3B/ 8 HR/ 34 RBI/ 31 R

39 IP/ 51 K/ .54 ERA/ .158 BAA

OUTFIELDERS

Chloe Ashmead | Sheridan | JR

.505 BA/ .526 OBP/ .602 SLG/ 7 2B/ 2 3B/ 32 RBI/ 30 R/ 20 SB

Ava Carter | Greene County Tech | JR

.562 BA/ .638 OBP/ 1.010 SLG/ 9 2B/ 10 3B/ 6 HR/ 33 RBI

Cameron Culclager | Benton | FR

.602 BA/ .653 OBP/ .639 SLG/ 1 2B/ 1 3B/ 16 RBI/ 35 R

Keeley Elsea | Gravette | JR

.433 BA/ .573 OBP/ .761 SLG/ 8 2B/ 1 3B/ 4 HR/ 24 RBI/ 27 R

Sofia King | Conway | SR

.425 BA/ .471 OBP/ .725 SLG/ 15 2B/ 3 3B/ 1 HR/ 17 RBI

CATCHERS

Steph Crittenden | Bentonville West | SO

.538 BA/ .596 OBP/ 1.063 SLG/ 53 H/ 18 2B/ 8 HR

Abby Gentry | Bryant | SR

.590 BA/ .692 OBP/ 1.295 SLG/ 13 2B/ 14 HR/ 36 RBI/ 48 R/ 14 SB/ .995 FPCT

UTILITY

Aidan Gorton | Valley Springs | SR

.743 BA/ .770 OBP/ 1.635 SLG/ 12 2B/ 9 3B/ 12 HR/ 44 RBI/ 45 R

Kiera “Kiki” Pickens | Beebe | SR

.539 BA/ .676 OBP/ 1.368 SLG/ 17 HR/ 50 RBI/ 43 R

126 K/ .71 ERA/ .671 WHIP

Second Team

PITCHERS

Emma Banks | Stuttgart | SR

105 IP/ 245 K/ 1.33 ERA/ .118 BAA

.492 BA/ .521 OBP/ .662 SLG/ 7 2B/ 2 3B/ 6 RBI/ 9 R/ 6 SB

Alyson Edwards | Mansfield | JR

157.1 IP/ 287 K/ 1.29 ERA/ .168 BAA

.625 BA/ .703 OBP/ 1.295 SLG/ 12 2B/ 1 3B/ 15 HR/ 54/ 47 R

Lexi Franklin | Booneville | JR

163.1 IP/ 229 K/ 1.84 ERA/ .195 BAA

.447 BA/ .527 OBP/ .851 SLG/ 11 2B/ 6 3B/ 5 HR/ 39 RBI/ 34 R

Ava Johnson | Rogers | JR

74 IP/ 146 SO/ 1.23 ERA/ .132 BAA

.389 BA/ .500 OBP/ .583 SLG/ 7 2B/ 2 3B/ 1 HR/ 15 RBI

Makenzie Freeman | Hackett | SO

152.1 IP/ 244 K/ 1.98 ERA/ .200 BAA

.537 BA/ .621 OBP/ .878 SLG/17 2B/ 4 3B/ 1 HR/ 34 RBI/ 18 R

INFIELDERS

Kelsey Baker | Marion | SR

.447 BA/ .565 OBP/ .835 SLG/ 15 2B/ 4 3B/ 4 HR/ 27 SB

Lydia Bethards | Benton | SO

.475 BA/ .526 OBP/ .616 SLG/ 10 2B/ 2 3B/ 29 RBI/ 32 R

Laney Chilton | Gravette | FR

Maggie McHenry | Taylor | SR

.451 BA/ .526 OBP/ .890 SLG/ 8 2B/ 1 3B/ 9 HR/ 43 RBI

Ally Mendoza | Mount Vernon-Enola | JR

.614 BA/ .674 OBP/ 1.945 OPS/ 9 HR/ 37 RBI/ 45 R/ 13 SB

OUTFIELDERS

Kylee Branscum | Mayflower | SO

.485 BA/ .547 OBP/ 4 2B/ 1 HR/ 24 RBI/ 46 R

Peyton Hester | Maumelle | JR

.616 BA/ .679 OBP/ 9 2B/ 3 3B

Macy Hoskins | Bryant | SR

.416 BA/ .451 OBP/ .818 SLG/ 6 2B/ 2 3B/ 7 HR/ 31 RBI/ 24 R

Layla Pasley | Clarksville | JR

.443 BA/ .506 OBP/ .857 SLG/ 7 2B/ 2 3B/ 6 HR/ 31 RBI/ 28 R

Reese Shirey | Farmington | JR

.489 BA / .511 OBP / .716 SLG/ 6 2B/ 7 3B/ 23 RBI/ 34 R

CATCHERS

Jackie Kelner | Bradley | SR

.587 BA/ .598 OBP/ .962 SLG/ 20 2B/ 2 3B/ 5 HR/ 51 RBI

Ashlyn Michael | Van Buren | JR

.453 BA/ .471 OBP/ .863 SLG/ 9 2B/ 3 3B/ 8 HR/ 36 RBI

UTILITY

Lillie-Faye McWhorter | Woodlawn | SO

.425 BA/ .525 OBP/ .975 SLG/ 9 2B/ 4 3B/ 9 HR/ 38 RBI/ 19 R

120.1 IP/ 205 K/ 1.69 ERA/ .136 BAA

Audrey Blair | Marshall | SO

.682 BA/ .770 OBP/ 1.364 SLG/ 8 2B/ 5 3B/ 4 HR/ 14 RBI, 30 R

88.2 IP/ 128 K/ 1.09 WHIP

All-Underclassmen Team

PITCHERS

Ava "Ace" Ellis, Harding Academy

70 IP/ 61 K/ 3.32 ERA

.643 BA/ .705 OBP/ 1.129 SLG/ 11 2B/ 7 3B/ 3 HR

Gracie Keeling, Maumelle

75 IP/ 117 K/ 4.44 ERA

.369 BA/ .537 OBP

Sylvia King, Conway

151.2 IP/ 150 K/ 2.91 ERA/ .128 BAA

.314 BA/ .377 OBP/ .514 SLG/ 4 2B/ 2 3B/ 2 HR/ 16 RBI

Reese Lackey, Lake Hamilton

68 IP/ 75 K/ 3.30 ERA/ .247 BAA

.588 BA/ ,646 OBP/ 1.098 SLG/ 12 2B/ 4 3B/ 2 HR/ 31 RBI/ 19 R

Kaylee McDonald, Des Arc 

98 IP/ 169K/ 1.27 ERA/ .097 BAA

.405 BA/ .511 OBP/ .829 SLG/ 4 2B/ 3 3B/ 4 HR/ 24 RBI

INFIELDERS

Aniya Arnold, Arkansas High

.507 BA/ .587 OBP/ .701 SLG/ 2 2B/ 1 3B/ 3 HR/ 19 RBI/ 36 R

Michaelyn "Mikey" Freeman, Hackett

.546 BA/ .593 OBP/ .990 SLG/ 18 2B/ 11 3B/ 1 HR/ 37 RBI/ 45 R

Skylar Sterritt, Sheridan

.494 BA/ .526 OBP/ .811 SLG/ 6 HR/ 28 SB/ .938 FPCT

Landyn Tompkins, Nashville

.420 BA/ .458 OBP/ .850 SLG/ 9 2B/ 3 3B/ 10 HR/ 39 RBI/ 29 R

Zaylee Warden, Pea Ridge

.477 BA/ .500 OBP/ .703 SLG/ 17 2B/ 1 3B/ 2 HR/ 34 RBI/ 28 R

OUTFIELDERS

Audrey Bishop, Maumelle Charter

,528 BA/ .614 OBP/ 9 XBH/ 1 HR/ 11 RBI/ 22 SB

Frankie Caldwell, Beebe

.419 BA/ .479 OBP/ 8 2B/ 24 RBI/ 1.000 FPCT

Abbie Mayden, North Little Rock

.424 BA/ .525 OBP/ .515 SLG/ 3 2B/ 6 RBI/ 14 R/ 12 SB

Kayla Myers, CAC

.554 BA/ .597 OBP/ .643 SLG/ 27 R/ 16 SB

Ryleigh Simmons, Dierks

.486 BA/ 36 H/ 9 2B/ 17 RBI/ 38 R/ 32 SB

CATCHERS

Addison Highfill, Baptist Prep

.476 BA/ .526 OBP/ 1.000 SLG/ 11 HR/ 40 RBI

Ryanne Pozza, North Little Rock

.471 BA/ .541 OBP/ 1.059 SLG/ 10 2B/ 1 3B/ 6 HR/ 30 RBI

UTILITY

Kendall Watson, Malvern

.452 BA/ .565 OBP/ .822 SLG/ 6 2B/ 3 3B/ 5 HR/ 26 RBI

73 IP/ 65 K/ 3.74 ERA/ .276 BAA

Emmy Thomason, Greene County Tech

.400 BA/ .424 OBP/ .726 SLG/ 13 2B/ 6 HR/ 36 RBI