Yahoo Sports Best of the best: Meet the Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Softball Team for 2024 season
Mississippi Coast softball flexed again in 2024.
The region produced three South State champions in Hancock, East Central and St. Patrick. The season was dominated by upcoming talent in new veterans and budding underclassmen.
The Coast’s strength was put on display and it shows in this year’s All-South Mississippi team with honors going to East Central, Hancock and George County.
Coach of the Year
Gerald Edmonson, East Central
The Hornets captured their second South State championship under Edmonson and did so by topping rival Vancleave. East Central leaves the 2024 season with a Coast-high 26 wins and a roster that produced three players with an OPS above 1.000 and two starters with ERAs below 2.00.
East Central opened the season 2-2 before going on an 11-game win streak. The Hornets pulled off wins against George County and Ocean Springs and defeated the Bulldogs four times.
Player of the Year
Teegan DeWitt, Hancock
Hancock’s two-way prodigy followed up her stellar sophomore campaign with a dominant junior season. DeWitt was the lone 6A player in Mississippi to rack up at least 45 hits from the plate and hold an ERA below 1.00 from the circle.
She spearheaded a Hawks team that won a South State championship over George County before finishing as runner-ups in 6A in Hattiesburg.
Fan’s Choice Player of the Year
Teegan DeWitt, Hancock
The fans and the Sun Herald staff are in agreement. With over 32,000 votes cast in her favor for 52 percent of the poll, DeWitt sweeps this season’s Player of the Year honors.
George County’s Addison Davis came in second with 20,660 votes for 34 percent of the poll.
Underclassmen of the Year
Kyleigh Howell, George County
The championship window hasn’t closed in Lucedale and Howell is a big reason why. One of several big-impact underclassmen bolstering the Rebels — along with Addison Davis, Peyton Collins and Aryana Dixon — Howell set the program record for home runs in a season with eight in her freshman campaign.
Sun Herald Starting Nine
These were South Mississippi’s best softball players, regardless of position.
Teegan DeWitt, Hancock: DeWitt batted over .500 with a Coast-best 1.484 OPS from the plate. She also struck out a Coast-leading 184 batters while working a 0.78 ERA. She was a Mississippi Association of Coaches All Star select.
Chaley Peterson, Hancock: Peterson provided the Hawks with a lethal 1-2. She posted an OPS above 1.000 and hurled a team-best 0.62 ERA with over 40 strikeouts.
Gracie McDonald, Ocean Springs: McDonald led the Coast with 59 hits and scored 44 runs while batting .500 from the plate and was named a MAC All Star. Her 40 stolen bases were second on the Coast.
K’Lee Gum, Ocean Springs: Gum’s 53 hits made the Greyhounds the lone Coast team with two players with at least 50 hits. She drove in 34 runs while also pitching 46.1 innings with 27 strikeouts.
Addison Davis, George County: Davis punched out 114 batters in 101.2 innings while working a 1.31 ERA and earning 16 wins. She was a Rising Stars MAC All Star choice.
Kyleigh Howell, George County: Howell led the Rebels with a 1.270 OPS, driving in 34 runs off 29 hits and 16 extra base hits.
Breyona Tanner, East Central: Tanner was productive at the plate with 31 hits and 27 RBIs and strong from the circle with 69 strikeouts and a 1.72 ERA.
Bree Phillips, East Central: Phillips led South Mississippi with 26 extra base hits out of her 46 total hits, slugged .885 with a 1.385 OPS and drove in 43 runs.
Brooklyn Mitchell, St. Patrick: Mitchell led the Coast in RBIs with 45 on 50 hits. The senior batted .538 and OPS’d 1.343.
All-South Mississippi Team
Emma Franklin, D’Iberville: Franklin was one of the Coast’s top pitchers, striking out 121 batters over 96.2 innings while working a 1.52 ERA.
Maddie Porter, D’Iberville: Porter picked up 32 hits and 17 of them went for extra bases. She slugged .625 and drove in 23 runs while also stealing 17 bases.
Piper Rushing, D’Iberville: Rushing had 29 hits, 11 doubles and drove in 18 runs with a .333 batting average.
Baleigh Tullos, East Central: Half of the senior’s 42 hits were for extra bases. Tullos drove in 32 runs while posting a 1.049 OPS.
Abbie Huff, East Central: The pitcher tossed 80 innings of 1.92 ERA ball while striking out 55 batters.
Kinsey Cochran, East Central: Cochran picked up 35 hits and drove in 22 runs while batting .427 with a 1.042 OPS.
Kailee Lawson, East Central: The MAC All Star had 33 hits, 24 RBIs with nine extra base hits while putting together a .317 batting average.
Aryan Dixon, George County: Dixon piled up 52 hits, stole 20 bases and put together a 1.096 OPS. She was a Rising Stars MAC All Star.
Hadleigh Tatum, George County: Tatum hit safely 45 times and drove in a team-high 37 runs on 15 doubles and seven triples. She slugged .762 and posted a 1.231 OPS.
Natalie Jones, George County: Jones had 37 hits, 17 extra base hits and OPS’d 1.019 as a senior.
Peyton Collins, George County: Collins struck out 98 batters and worked a 2.36 ERA from the circle while contributing 24 hits and 12 RBIs at the plate.
Caroline Woodward, Gulfport: The Pearl River Central commit hit .407 with a team-high 40 hits and was an All-Region first team pick.
Haley Hughes, Gulfport: Hughes hit .348, was an All-Region first team choice and is a Northwest Florida commit.
Brylie Smith, Hancock: Smith had 30 hits, stole 16 bases and put together an .865 OPS.
Brooklyn Cuevas, Hancock: Cuevas drove in 20 runs with 26 hits and 12 doubles. She hit .426 and OPS’d 1.224 as a senior.
Abigail Carver, Hancock: Carver had 25 hits and 31 stolen bases. She batted .385 and put together a .989 OPS.
Farrah James, Ocean Springs: James hit 36 times, driving in 24 runs off 15 extra base hits including six home runs.
Caitlyn Ludwig, Ocean Springs: Ludwig had 35 hits, 29 RBIs and homered six times for the Greyhounds.
Brooklyn Peterson, Ocean Springs: Peterson picked up 27 hits and 14 RBIs at the plate while also striking out 66 batters from the circle.
Kerrigan Scott, Ocean Springs: Of Scott’s 23 hits, 14 of them were for extra bases. She slugged .592 and posted a 1.031 OPS.
Cailey Pervel, Pearl River Central: Pervel hit .411 for the Blue Devils with 37 hits, 36 RBIs, seven home runs and a 1.237 OPS.
Bayli Cucinello, Pearl River Central: Cucinello had 32 hits, 20 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. She hit .372 with a .941 OPS.
Addison Watts, Picayune: Watts led the Maroon Tide with 41 hits and a .398 batting average. She drove in 20 runs and hit 11 doubles.
Brooklyn Wilson, Picayune: Wilson had 38 hits a team-high 22 RBIs while batting .376 as a junior.
Kaigyn Kulas, Picayune: Kulas put together a .345 batting average with 31 hits and 16 runs driven in.
Addison Alexander, Poplarville: Alexander batted .488 her junior season and was a MAC All Star select.
Shailey Peterson, Poplarville: Peterson put together a .412 batting average and was a Gulf Coast All Star.
Caroline Batson, Stone: Batson recorded 33 hits and posted a 1.007 OPS from the plate and struck out 73 batters with a 1.80 ERA from the circle.
Mattie Gibson, Stone: Gibson picked up 31 hits and drove in 23 runs with a .932 OPS. She also worked a 2.07 ERA in 20.1 innings pitched.
Reeana Williams, Stone: Williams batted .346, totaling 28 hits and 19 runs driven in as a senior.
Jayden Holliman, Stone: Holliman pitched 55.2 innings with 68 strikeouts and a 2.51 ERA.
Tara Nasakaitis, St. Patrick: Nasakaitis picked up 49 hits with a .471 batting average and led the Coast with 43 stolen bases
Sophia Oehms, St. Patrick: Oehms had 33 hits and drove in 37 runs while posting a 1.125 OPS.
Elizabeth Colson, St. Patrick: The junior hit 34 times, posted a .907 OPS and drove in 33 runs.
Addyson Duprey, St. Patrick: Duprey put up a .908 OPS with 37 hits, 27 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
Brooklyn Rhodes, Vancleave: Rhodes had 164 strikeouts from the circle and posted a 2.43 ERA. Rhodes also picked up 28 hits and drove in 21 runs.
Aubree Hunter, Vancleave: Sixteen of Hunter’s 34 hits were doubles. She batted .327 with a .907 OPS.
Bailey Ross, Vancleave: Ross picked up 30 hits with a .333 batting average and an .856 OPS.
Jaylin Jones, West Harrison: Jones registered 49 hits with a .485 batting average, scored 30 runs and stole 17 bases. She was a MAC All Star choice.
Abbie Hancock, West Harrison: Hancock picked up 44 hits and stole 23 bases. She batted .449 with a .998 OPS.
AJ Miller, West Harrison: Miller pitched 110.1 innings, striking out 36 batters and working a 2.85 ERA.
Honorable mention
Layla Barnes, D’Iberville; Olivia Drieling, D’Iberville; Annah Nicely, D’Iberville; Lillie Evans, East Central; Valerie Merrill, East Central; Blakely Slay, George County; Jordyn Bradley, George County; Braylee Bishop, George County; Fairley Hall, Gulfport; Juliana Espat, Gulfport; Aubre Martin, Hancock; Taylor Dunbar, Hancock; Gabby Smith, Harrison Central; Presley Newport, Ocean Springs; Laynee Davis, Ocean Springs; Chloe Guidry, Poplarville; Makenzie Picasso, Poplarville; Daphne Rohrbacker, Poplarville; Miranda Ladnier, St. Martin; Savannah Terrel, St. Martin; Madalynn Broussard, St. Martin; Kahlen Vaughn, Stone; Raeghan Williams, Stone; Laila Bullen, Stone; Rowan Romano, St. Patrick; Kendel Northrop, Vancleave; Kassie Sonnier, Vancleave; Kolby Peterson, West Harrison; KK Williams, West Harrison
Missing someone? Send nominations with season stats to swatkins@sunherald.com.
