Video: Taylor McQuillin Interview - Gatorade POY AwardsMission Viejo standout pitcher grateful for award.The postseason hasn't slowed No. 2 ranked Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) as the Cougars have outscored their opponents 75-4 in five games.
The Cougars have run their state record win streak to 93 in a row, which according to the National Federal of High Schools, ranks fourth all-time behind Vanderbilt (Houma, La.) with 112 (1980-83), Lakes Charles (La.) with 107 (1988-89) and Simpsonville-Hillcrest (S.C.) with 96 straight wins from 2002 through the 2004 season.
Meanwhile, No. 1 Mission Viejo (Calif.) tuned up for the postseason with a 2-0 win over highly regarded Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), a team that hadn't lost since April 2 and the last team to beat MVHS in May, 2014.
Holly Azevedo turned up for the postseason for Pioneer (San Jose, Calif.) with a one-hit, 10-strikeout effort over Leland (San Jose, Calif.).
New to the Top 10 this week is Santiago (Corona, Calif.), while new teams also join the Top 25 this week: unbeatens Southington (Conn.) and Turner Ashby (Bridgewater, Va.) along with Musselman (W.V.) and Maple Grove (Minn.).
Returning to the Top 25 after two weeks absent is Reed (Sparks, Nev.) which won the Nevada Large School state championship to finish the season at 37-2.
Click here to see softball playoff brackets from across the nationMaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings
1. (No. 1 last week) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 25-0Top-ranked Mission Viejo continues to roll as
Taylor McQuillin picked up her 99th career win in leading her team to its 31-first straight victory.
2. (2) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 28-0The Cougars have June 5 circled on their calendars as that is the date for the state 4A championship. But there are still three rounds to go with 19-5 Northwest Guilford (Greensboro) up next.
3. (3) Pioneer (San Jose, Calif.), 27-0
Holly Azevedo, Pioneer
Photo by Scott Dinn
Sophomore pitcher
Holly Azevedo (26-0 and no earned runs allowed this season) leads Pioneer into the postseason starting Saturday.
4. (5) Lebanon (Ohio), 28-0The Warriors routed Centerville for its fourth-straight shutout win.
5. (7) Coronado (Lubbock, Texas), 29-0-1 The Mustangs blanked Weatherford, 9-0, to advance in the Texas 6A playoffs.
6. (6) Aledo (Texas), 17-0Aledo ran its win streak to 42 with a 15-0 playoff win over Burleson (Texas).
7. (8) Crown Point (Ind.), 23-1Crown Point has a 13 game winning streak and has allowed just 17 runs in 24 games, only eight during the win streak.
8. (9) Bishop Carroll (Wichita, Kan.), 20-0The Golden Eagles ran their win streak to 28 with a 15-0, 11-1 sweep of Heights (Wichita, Kan.). Their offensive numbers continue to impress: .600 team batting average, 123 extra base hits (37 home runs) and a team on-base percentage of .663. Regional action gets underway this week.
9. (10) Sherwood (Sandy Spring, Md.), 19-0The Warriors defeated Howard, 10-0 to run their win streak to 80 straight, extending their own state record.
10. (12) Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 27-3The Sharks, who have won 10 straight, are led by seniors
Nichole Fry (12 home runs, 48 RBIs) and pitcher
Ashley Coleman (17-1, 1.30 ERA.). The playoffs begin this week.
11. (13) La Grange (Texas), 32-0LaGrange moves onto the state 4A Regional Semifinals on Thursday riding a streak of 17 shutout victories. LaGrange has won 23 times via shutout this season.
12. (NR) Southington (Conn.), 18-0Led by pitcher
Kendra Friedt (11-0, 0.32 ERA, 168 strikeouts in 72 innings), the Blue Knights have outscored their opponents 246-10. Senior
Lauren Zazzaro has 48 RBIs and is hitting .500 while
Kaitlin Paterson is batting .627 with 43 runs scored.
13. (14) Mount St. Dominic Academy (Caldwell, N.J.), 26-1Led by
Julianna Kocenski, Mount St. Dominic has six starters hitting over .300 and a 24-game win streak.
14. (15) Yucaipa (Calif.), 26-3The Thunderbirds shut out Redlands (Calif.) twice last week (10-0, 9-0) to run their win streak to 13 as
Brooke Bolinger struck out 25 in 12 innings.
15. (17) Kasson-Mantorville (Kasson, Minn.), 18-1Win streak stands at a dozen as
Maddie Damon averages 2.5 strikeouts per inning.
16. (16) Cape Fear (Fayetteville, N.C.), 22-0Like No. 2 Alexander Central, Cape Fear is eyeing June 5 with a goal of a rematch against the state 4A defending champions. But first awaits 20-3 Heritage (Wake Forest, N.C.).
Haley Cashwell is hitting .676 and has scored 54 runs.
17. (25) Eagle (Idaho), 30-1The Mustangs rebounded from their lone loss of the season to win five straight and capture the 5A state title.
18. (NR) Turner Ashby (Bridgewater, Va.), 19-0The Knights have scored 193 runs, while limiting the opposition to 22.
19. (22) Bald Knob (Ark.), 28-2Bald Knob has won 24 straight, the last four by a 43-4 margin. More importantly, Bald Knob will play Harding Academy (Searcy) on Saturday for the State 3A title.
20. (20) Forest (Ocala, Fla.), 30-2 *season overWon Florida's 6A state title.
21. (24) Woodinville (Wash.), 19-1The Falcons are averaging 11 runs per game.
22. (NR) Musselman (Inwood, W. Va.), 30-1Musselman has outscored its opponents 227-31, including 18 shutouts on the year behind junior pitchers
Sabrina Shroades and
Taylor Stocks.
23. (23) Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.), 24-2 *season overState 5A champion. Fourth title in five years.
24. (NR) Maple Grove (Minn.), 32-2Led by pitcher
Sydney Smith, Maple Grove has won six straight, outscoring its opponents 38-3.
25. (NR) Reed (Sparks, Nev.), 37-2Reed won its final seven games of the season to capture Nevada's large school state title. Led by
Julia Jensen, Reed beat Palo Verde for the title, 3-2.
Dropped Out: Olympia (Wash.), Tualatin (Ore.), Atascocita (Texas), Rockwall (Texas), Mercy (Mich.)