Vote: Who is the 2025 South Carolina high school softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year?

Here is a list of the state's top hurlers set to deliver from the circle in the 2025 season
Broome played Aynor in a the 3A state championship softball  game at Broome High School on May 25, 2022. Aynor won the game 2-1 and forced a game three to be played on May 27 at Gilbert High School to determine the 3A softball state champion. Aynor   s Alivia Hess (7) on the mound.

Spa Broome Vs Aynor Softball12
Broome played Aynor in a the 3A state championship softball game at Broome High School on May 25, 2022. Aynor won the game 2-1 and forced a game three to be played on May 27 at Gilbert High School to determine the 3A softball state champion. Aynor s Alivia Hess (7) on the mound. Spa Broome Vs Aynor Softball12 / ALEX HICKS JR./SPARTANBURG HERALD-JOURNAL / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2025 high school softball season is a little more than a month away. We would like to know who you think is the 2025 Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

Here are 10 candidates for your consideration. You are welcome to nominate others. Voting concludes Feb. 21 at 11:59 p.m.

Jaidyn Devore, senior, Barnwell

Devore had a dominating junior season, going 15-3 with an 0.99 earned run average. The Howard University commit recorded 197 strikeouts in 106 innings.

Maddie Johnson, senior, Aynor

The Clemson commit was 12-3 with a 1.19 ERA and helped lead the Blue Jackets to the Class AAA state championship series. Johnson had 148 strikeouts in 100 innings and held hitters to a .237 batting average.

Mackenzie Melton, sophomore, North Central

Melton was second in the state with 214 strikeouts and she did that in 139 innings. The ace right-hander was 15-7 with a 2.37 ERA and limited the opposition to a .206 batting average.

Elena Mathys, senior, Hartsville

Mathys was 9-5 with a 2.10 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings while holding batters to a .183 average.

Lillie Ivey, sophomore, Sumter

Ivey had a strong freshman season by going 7-1 with a 1.90 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 48 innings. She is about to enter her fourth season as a varsity pitcher, having started in the seventh grade.

Annie Ruth Eliason, senior, West Florence

The USC-Upstate commit was one of South Carolina’s best as a junior with a 15-3 record and an 0.73 ERA. She led the state with 256 strikeouts in 135 innings. Eliason held opposing hitters to a miniscule .100 and an on-base percentage of .147.

Gracie Sue Billings, sophomore, James Island

Billings emerged as the Trojans’ ace as a freshman, going 9-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 74 innings.

Alivia Hess, junior, Aynor

When you have two aces, it’s tough to score on a team. Hess was 10-1 and an 0.48 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 58 innings. She held hitters to a .113 batting average.

Karley Bedenbaugh, sophomore, Midland Valley

The 5-foot-5 right-hander was 9-3 with a 3.24 ERA as a freshman. Bedenbaugh had 131 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings.

Halle Tompkins, Palmetto

Tompkins was 9-3 with a 1.83 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 69 innings while helping lead her team to a 22-7 record.

Raegan Tibbits, St. James

Tibbits is a junior committed to North Greenville University. She has been a varsity pitcher since 7th grade and has gone 19-6 with 1.04 ERA and 255 K in 167 innings.

Vote: Who is the 2025 South Carolina high school softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year? (Poll Closed)
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Total Votes: 4,996
 

Published |Modified
Mike Duprez
MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.