We continue our final look at the top 100 players in the 2017 class… we're spotlighting 10 each day as we count down from 100 to No. 1.

We'll announce the Top 10 of the class on Friday, November 4, then on Saturday, Nov. 5 we will reveal the "Next In (101-200)" and finally on Sunday, Nov. 6 will unveil our Top 50 College Classes.



There's been a lot of movement in these rankings compared to the previous list published six months ago pre-summer tourneys.  For example, there are 16 new players in the final 2017 Hot 100 (indicated with an *) and many players making being jumps up the lists.

These players were chosen based on input and feedback from college and club coaches who've seen them play all across the nation.

Criteria for choosing and ranking the players including performances at the club and high school levels and projecting how they will play at the collegiate level.

Below we feature players No. 70-61 with standout players from California (2), Florida (2), Kentucky, Georgia (2) and Texas (3).


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70--Ashley Morgan P/UT… Georgia Impact (Tennessee)

Ashley suffered an ACL tear last year, but has been released to play the second half of the fall season in Georgia and is back in action.  She has been a key force in the Impact organization since 10U and picked up the awesome nickname "Megatron" along the way (because of some gear she wore that one coach said looked like a "Transformer"). She plays 100 percent every pitch and is a great all-around athlete who can do it all. This summer she was honored as the Gatorade State Player of the Year after the lefty pitcher led her team to the Class 5A state title by going 19-1 in the circle with a 0.81 ERA and a .505 batting average with 11 home runs. She is a top dual threat in that the 5-foot-6 athlete can also catch, play first or in the outfield. She picked the Vols in December of 2014.

69--Kendall Smith C… Louisville Lady Sluggers (Western Kentucky)*

Kendall will dominate at the college level as she has what one coach calls "the most beautiful power-hitting right-handed stroke I've ever seen," but she's not just a hitting star.  Kendall has a 1.6 pop time and a cannon for an arm and is the ideal power-hitting catcher you build your team around.  She also is a great athlete who can bunt to get on base when the defense is playing back respecting her power. Last year, she led the Sluggers in home runs and between her offense and defense the ceiling on the Kentucky senior is very high. Several top 10 college teams were recruiting her but she chose the Hilltoppers because she wants to stay close to home.

68--Dani Elder C… Aces Express (Texas A&M)

Dani moves to the Aces after having a great run with the Impact Gold where she established herself as one of the premier catchers in the nation. Dani controls a great game behind the plate and can do it all defensively: she blocks exceptionally well and frames at a level few can match. She rarely makes an error as shown by her high school season in Texas where she had a .993 fielding percentage with only two errors in 271 total chances. Dani grew up around the game as her father, Danny, was her coach from age five to 14 prior to her joining the Impact and she also excels in track (shot and discus). The Texan committed to the Aggies before starting her freshman year of high school.

67--Myah Moy 2B… Tampa Mustangs -- TJ (Rutgers)

Myah is an athletic infielder who can also play several other positions at an elite level.  She was the top hitter for the Mustangs in 2016 which won the 2015 PGF 16U Nationals and won the Triple Crown for the team, leading in average, homers and RBI. This past spring she was a Florida 7A 1st Team All-State honoree after hitting .596 with 28 RBI and this summer for the Mustangs she batted .355.  She's not just a threat on offense where she can hit bombs comparable to any power hitter--Myah can also make highlight reel plays at second base and is athletic and aggressive in playing her position in the field. She had national recruiting interest before committing to the Rutgers and should make an immediate impact as soon as she hits the Big Ten school's softball fields.

66--Kara Bilodeau P… Georgia Impact (Auburn)

Kara moves to the Impact after playing for the Atlanta Vipers the last few years and is a dominating flame-thrower who hits in the mid-to-upper 60's on the radar gun.  She complements her heat with a rise, change and drop that makes her tough to square up on. Kara works down in the zone and has good spins and a solid change-up. The Georgia senior has drawn comparisons to Auburn pitcher Makayla Martin, who helped the Tigers reach the WCWS Championship, and Kara has opened eyes at all levels as she has also been invited to play for the Canadian National Junior Olympic Team.

65--Taylor Ellsworth C… Texas Blaze (Texas)*

Taylor is the catching protégé to Megan Willis the former USSSA Pride/Texas Longhorn catcher. Ellsworth worked with Willis since she was 12. She has become a major factor in Blaze becoming one of the top organizations in club ball the last few years including winning the TC/USA National Championship this year in New York City and going 22-2 the last two years at the Boulder IDT. She also shined at the high school level this year, batting .541 for her Texas team and having a .629 on-base percentage while committing only two errors all season behind the plate.

64--Jordan Matthews SS… Ohana Tigers (Florida)

Jordan is one of the best athletes in the class and has all the physical tools you'd want: strength, speed, power, quickness.  She has a college frame right now and both club and college coaches have said they love to watch her play because of the things she can do on the field that few her age are capable of including catching balls all over the infield and throwing out runners from deep in the hole.  One coach said, "She simply makes the field look smaller." Jordan has amazing upside and because of her stroke can leadoff or bat in the four-hole because of her rare combo of stroking for average and power. She helped the Tigers finish in the Top 5 a PGF 16U Nationals in 2015 and committed to the Gators in July of 2015.

63--Sabrina Nunez OF… All American Sports Academy (Cal)*

Sabrina leads off for AASA and is the sparkplug that makes it all go for the team which finished 5th at both PGF 18U Nationals and Boulder IDT. Last summer, the Nor Cal lefty slapper hit .458 and had 16 steals but her defense is what helps make her an elite player. Sabrina has the ability to chase down balls because of her long strides and ability to take excellent angles that makes it difficult for balls to get past her. She patrols left field for AASA but is a true centerfielder and that's where she'll likely play in the Pac-12. Heading into her senior year, Sabrina has played varsity for three years and has a .524 batting average and has gone 48-for-49 on the base paths. She verballed to Cal right before Christmas of 2013.

62--Alyssa Martinez SS… Texas Bombers Gold (LSU)

Alyssa is a 5-foot-6 dynamite infielder who puts every ounce of effort and energy in every play. Says one coach, "It is hard to parallel her game to anyone due to the fact that she plays the sport unlike anyone I have ever seen on defense. If she puts her hands on the ball, you're out."  Alyssa has all the tools you need from the left side of the offense including lateral quickness, an explosive first step, a great glove-to-hand transition time and a quick release.  Another scout said the Central Texan is the best infielder he's ever seen at the high school level.  She isn't one-dimensional either; Alyssa bats in the .500-plus range and with her speed can play the short game or drive the ball into the gaps and turn singles into doubles or more. She committed to the Tigers in the spring of 2014.

61--Taylor Bump IF… Gold Coast Hurricanes (Michigan)

Taylor has been a winner for a long time, playing varsity high school ball in Florida as an eighth grader when she won her first of two back-to-back state titles. She became a national recruit her freshman year when the 5-foot-10 infielder was named as a MaxPreps Freshman All-American after hitting .557 with an on-base percentage of .664.  In 2016, she batted .424 with a career-high 12 doubles. With the stick, Taylor has gap power and can bat clean-up or in the five-hole to drive home a lot of runs. A standout at first base, she has the athletic tools to play multiple positions because she has quick hands and feet. Long recognized as an elite recruit, Taylor verbaled to Michigan the summer before her freshman year after impressing Wolverine coaches at their camps.