MaxPreps 2015 South Carolina preseason softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Byrnes (Duncan)
2014 Record: 26-5, won state 4A title
Head Coach: Brandi Aiken

Byrnes lost two key players to the college ranks (Bailey Pearson and Lauren Duggar, 2014 4A Player of the Year), but return key postseason honorees catcher Malibu Gaston (.362, 28 RBIs), pitcher and Drexel signee Regan Messenger (11-1), Kate Burnett, Allison Neely (.325, 19 SBs) and Tatum Arboleda (.373). All were named all-region and Messenger, Gaston and Arboleda were all-state. Add .330 hitter Christa Whitesides and it's easy to see why coach Brandi Aiken is excited for the season to begin. Aiken calls Neely the "best outfielder in the state." Look for Byrnes to make another run at the state championship but will have to play well in one of the toughest regions in the state.

View last season's South Carolina softball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Union County (Union)
2014 Record: 26-3, won state 3A title
Head coach: Tommy Petty

Union County has 10 girls returning from its championship 2014 season and all 10 saw time on the diamond. Heading the list is junior pitcher Payton Martin (14-3, 1.18 ERA, .369 batting average), College of Charleston commit Dexlie Inman (.464 with six homers), sophomore Ashley Vinson (.475 with seven homers), Katelyn Petty (.383 as an eighth grader), junior Hannah Sailors (0.78 ERA, .356) and Claflin commit Cee Cee Morman, who hit five roundtrippers and batted .347. Martin and Vinson were all-state a year ago. Other returning players are seniors Karlie D. Lane and Satardra Hall and junior Kendell Henderson.

View last season's South Carolina softball playoff brackets

3. Northwestern (Rock Hill)
2014 Record: 20-3
Head coach: Bryan Smith

Northwestern was unbeaten (14-0) region champs and won the district playoffs before being eliminated by Clover in the Upper State round of play. In his 15th season, coach Bryan Smith says this should be his best team. It's hard to argue that with many key returnees, an impressive transfer (Annie Green) from Texas and a freshman pitcher (Brezhay Chambers) ready to contribute. Top returnees are USC-Upstate signee Kori Wancheck (20-3, 1.41 ERA, 248 strikeouts in 163 innings and .388 batting average), Rachel Marion (.413, six homers), Cassie Wancheck (.468), Daina Chase (.397) and Tiana Lewter.

View last season's South Carolina softball stat leaders

4. Hartsville
2014 Record: 26-2
Head coach: Bobby Sowell

It's hard not to be ranked in the Top 5 when the best pitcher (South Carolina commit Cayla Drotar) in the state returns. Drotar is no stranger to state tournament play. In 2012, as an eighth grader, she led the Red Foxes to the state title. In 2013, as a freshman, Drotar was 17-3 with a sub-1.00 ERA, batted .500, hit eight home runs and was named MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year. In 2014, she led the Red Foxes (26-3) to the Class 3A state championship game when Drotar owned a 14-2 record and a 1.18 ERA, along with a .560 batting average, 12 home runs, 44 RBIs and was named the state's Gatorade POY. Drotar struck out 138 batters in 95 innings pitched. With two years remaining, what does Drotar have planned for 2015?

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5. Clover
2014 Record: 25-8
Head coach: Shea Hall

Led by college signees Blake Wallert (Winthrop) and Marisa Harkey (Furman), Clover returns a dozen players from last year's squad that made a deep playoff run. Wallert batted .487 and Harkey batted .441 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs. She also had nine doubles and five triples. In the circle will be senior Elizabeth Edmunds, who was named Region 3-4A Player of the Year when she was 23-6 and batted .353.