Amber Bretton is taking over as Gorham’s No. 1 pitcher. She hit .479 with five home runs and a 1.000 slugging percentage last year. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

Izabella Napolitano Aberle, Cheverus sophomore catcher/third base: Aberle easily handled SMAA pitching as a freshman, batting .404 with four home runs and a .788 slugging percentage.

Sadie Armstrong, Portland junior pitcher: Armstrong went 10-5 with a 2.36 ERA last season and was one of the SMAA’s most feared hitters, batting .568 with five home runs and 20 RBI. She’s committed to Division I Longwood University in Virginia.

Amber Bretton, Gorham junior pitcher: One of the more versatile players and best hitters in the SMAA, Bretton batted .479 last season while swatting five home runs. She was a first-team all-SMAA pick, and will be a full-time pitcher this season.

Sophia Chung, Cape Elizabeth junior shortstop: Chung was a second-team all-Western Maine Conference selection after hitting .419 and finishing with 26 hits (second on the team) and 25 RBI (first). She’ll be one of the veteran leaders for the Capers.

Candice Daigle, Massabesic sophomore shortstop: Daigle was a first-team all-SMAA pick as a freshman, and finished the season with a .469 average, 18 runs and 15 RBI.

Charlotte Donovan, Biddeford senior pitcher: The reigning Varsity Maine Player of the Year, Donovan hit .500 while going 12-1 with a 1.09 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 77 innings for the Class A champions.

Jessica Dow, Thornton Academy senior third base: A second-team all-SMAA pick, Dow was the Trojans’ best power hitter last spring. She slugged .891 while batting .435, and clubbed four homers and six doubles.

Brooke Gerry, Windham junior pitcher: Gerry was the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year last year and makes Windham the favorite in Class A South. The lefty finished 16-3 with a 0.82 ERA and 225 strikeouts, and also batted .551 as the Eagles’ leadoff hitter.

Stella Jarvais, Windham sophomore shortstop/catcher: Jarvais thrived in her first varsity season, batting .453 and scoring 17 runs. She was also a superb defensive player, fielding her position at a .991 clip.

York’s McKayla Kortes compiled a 9-1 record with a 1.47 ERA last season, while batting .583 with six homers and 31 RBI. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

McKayla Kortes, York junior pitcher/third base: Kortes played her way onto the Varsity Maine All-State team by excelling in the circle and at the plate. The Merrimack University commit went 9-1 with a 1.47 ERA, and hit .583 with six homers and 31 RBI.

Melissa Mayo, Lake Region senior pitcher: Mayo batted .471 last spring and posted a 2.27 ERA with 128 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings, a year after knee surgery. She should be even stronger this season.

Izzy Miner, Thornton Academy, senior shortstop: Miner returns after batting leadoff for the Trojans and finishing last season with a .481 average. She struck out only three times in 57 plate appearances.

Sophia Morin, Brunswick senior first base/catcher: Morin was part of the Dragons’ feared slugging duo along with Kelsey Sullivan, who now plays for Colby College. Morin batted .451 with two home runs and 25 RBI.

Natalie Moynihan, Scarborough sophomore pitcher: Moynihan was more than ready for the pace of the SMAA as a freshman. She batted .511 with 26 RBI, and went 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 55 innings.

Ella Nickerson, South Portland/Westbrook junior center fielder: Nickerson shined as the Red Riots’ No. 2 hitter, batting .446 and hitting seven triples while scoring and driving in 18 runs en route to first-team all-SMAA status.

Rosie Panenka, Freeport junior shortstop: The Falcons’ top player last season, Panenka was a first-team All-WMC pick. She hit .547 with a .661 on-base percentage and showed good defensive range and instincts at shortstop.

Natalie Moynihan of Scarborough batted .511 with 26 RBI last season. As a pitcher, she went 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 55 innings. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Gretchyn Paradis, Poland junior pitcher: Paradis was the Knights’ closer last year, but will take over as their primary pitcher. She went 7-0 in the regular season with a 3.00 ERA, struck out 60 in 37 1/3 innings, and also hit .313.

Laura Perreault, Biddeford senior center fielder: Perreault was a steady line-drive hitter in the No. 2 hole for the Tigers last season, batting .389 and scoring 25 runs. She also brings good range to the outfield.

Julia Pike, Kennebunk/Sanford sophomore pitcher: Pike had one of the best freshman seasons in the state last season, going 12-1 with a 1.32 ERA and 169 strikeouts. She also batted .408 with four home runs, and was a Varsity Maine All-State pick.

Angelina Pizzella, Scarborough senior first base: A .391 hitter last season, Pizzella is poised to be the Red Storm’s top slugger, and one of the SMAA’s top threats at the plate. She’s also a steady fielder at first.

Maddy Raymond, York senior pitcher/third base: Raymond is back as one of the top pitchers and hitters in the WMC. She went 9-1 with a 1.53 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings, and also batted .515 with five home runs.

Summer St. Louis, Old Orchard Beach, senior pitcher/shortstop: The 2022 WMC Class C Player of the Year is a do-it-all player who hits in the middle of the order and is equally as good at shortstop as she is in the circle.

Brunswick pitcher Ellie Sullivan went went 15-2 with a 1.61 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 96 innings last year. Brewster Burns photo

Ellie Sullivan, Brunswick, senior pitcher: The Dragons bring back their ace in the circle. Sullivan went 15-2 with a 1.61 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 96 innings, and also had a .509 on-base percentage at the plate.

Savannah Tardiff, Wells senior catcher: Tardiff was a first-team all-WMC selection at catcher last season and one of the conference’s best hitters. She hit .522 with two home runs, 26 RBI and an .891 slugging percentage.

Baylor Wilkinson, Biddeford senior first baseman: One of the SMAA’s best power hitters is back after hitting .365 with four home runs and 24 RBI last season. Wilkinson homered in each of the last two Class A championship games.