Softball: 5 to Watch across The Times area in 2025

Marquette's Taylor Cuchra fires a pitch to St. Bede on Thursday, April 18, 2024 in Ottawa.

In an area rich with softball talent, here are five players The Times sports staff will be watching in 2025.

Tessa Krull

Tessa Krull, Seneca, P/2B, jr.

A unanimous first-team Times All-Area selection and runner-up in our Softball Player of the Year voting a year ago, Krull will try to build on her all-state sophomore season that included a 25-3 record with 267 strikeouts and a 1.30 ERA. The junior also had a .280 batting average with 22 RBIs.

RayElle Brennan

RayElle Brennan, Serena, C/IF, sr.

One of the leaders of last season’s 1A sectional champion Huskers, Brennan navigated arguably the two most difficult positions in a lineup card to fill – catcher and leadoff hitter – brilliantly, earning all-state honors after hitting .423 with 46 runs scored and 38 RBIs.

Mya Zavada

Mya Zavada, Streator, OF, sr.

Alongside fellow senior Makenna Ondrey – who also is expected to have a monstrous finale this spring – Zavada will lead the Bulldogs coming off a Times All-Area second-team season that included a .320 batting average, 24 RBIs and run-down-everything play in center field.

Marquette Academy's Taylor Cuchra

Taylor Cuchra, Marquette, P/1B, sr.

Another Times All-Area performer last spring, Cuchra has starred for three seasons and likely will do it again her senior season. Last year, the Crusaders' ace pitcher/ slugger was 12-6 in the circle with a 2.55 ERA and 103 strikeouts, while at the plate she batted .471 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs.

Bobbi Snook

Bobbi Snook, Ottawa, C, so.

After a rookie season for the ages, this spring we’ll find out what the Pirates' catcher has in mind for an encore. As a freshman, Snook hit .361 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs while handling Ottawa’s regional championship pitching staff.

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