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Softball America Pitcher Rankings Updated as New Stars Enter Top 10

Oklahoma State's Ruby Meylan has emerged as one of the best arms in the country.
Nicole Reitz|
May 17, 2025; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Oklahoma State Cowgirls starting pitcher Ruby Meylan (66) throws a pitch during the first inning. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images
May 17, 2025; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Oklahoma State Cowgirls starting pitcher Ruby Meylan (66) throws a pitch during the first inning. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

With a week left of the regular season remaining, who are the best pitchers heading into the postseason? 

Softball America released pitching rankings for May on Monday, and some names have emerged at the top.

Belmont ace Maya Johnson and Alabama's Jocelyn Briski held in the top two spots, while Oklahoma State's Ruby Meylan surged after having a great few weeks in the circle.

Mid-majors Anne Long of South Florida and Odhi Vasquez of Saint Mary's also joined the Top 25. 

Check out the top 10 pitchers in college softball, and visit Softball America for the full list, plus the best two-ways. 

Top 10 Pitchers in College Softball 

  1. Maya Johnson, Belmont (0.71 ERA, 24-2, 1 SV, 331 K, 177 IP)
  2. Jocelyn Briski, Alabama (1.44 ERA, 19-1, 2 SV, 147 K, 112 IP) 
  3. Ruby Meylan, Oklahoma State (2.20 ERA, 23-6, 1 SV, 177 K, 193.2 IP) 
  4. NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech (1.38 ERA, 20-3, 2 SV, 179 K, 127 IP) 
  5. Jori Heard, South Carolina (1.77 ERA, 11-8, 1 SV, 113 K, 146.2 IP) 
  6. Sage Mardjetko, Tennessee (0.93 ERA, 14-1, 3 SV, 136 K, 98 IP) 
  7. Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee (1.51 ERA, 11-6, 4 SV, 129 K, 97.2 IP) 
  8. Lyndsey Grein, Oregon (2.15 ERA, 23-5, 1 SV, 190 K, 153.1 IP) 
  9. Keagan Rothrock, Florida (2.33 ERA, 24-5, 4 SV, 154 K, 162.2 IP) 
  10. Bree Carrico, Virginia Tech (1.70 ERA, 12-1, 5 SV, 114 K, 98.2 IP) 

Maya Johnson, Belmont Bruins

There is no questioning who should be in the top spot. Johnson has led the league in ERA, strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts for almost the entire season, and has only collected two losses. 

She began the season with a perfect game, added a no-hitter, grabbed her 1000th career strikeout, and has two top-ranked wins over Georgia and Mississippi State, while holding Tennessee to just one run. 

Her season-high 19 strikeouts against Evansville have cemented her as one of the most dominant pitchers in the nation right now. 

Ruby Meylan, Oklahoma State Cowgirls

Though the Cowgirls got off to a rocky start this season, Meylan has really boosted the team throughout April, and might have put her team in a Regional hosting position. 

In a midweek matchup against Texas, Meylan allowed only two hits over seven innings to grab the upset victory. She then went on to lead the Cowgirls to a series sweep over Baylor when she notched her 17th complete game of the season on Sunday. She allowed one earned run on five hits with one walk. The win marked her eighth straight complete game. 

Meylan is now fifth in the NCAA for innings pitched at 186.2. 

Jori Heard, South Carolina Gamecocks

The Gamecocks are another team that has collected upset wins across April thanks to Heard’s excellent work in the circle, including one over Tennessee. 

Heard pitched a complete game, holding the Lady Vols to four hits, while allowing one run and striking out three. This past weekend, she also helped upset Texas A&M by holding the Aggies to just one run over 5.1 innings, striking out five in the walk-off series win. 

Sage Mardjetko, Tennessee Lady Vols 

Though Karlyn Pickens is usually the talk of the Tennessee Lady Vols, Sage Mardjetko has owned the circle recently. 

In the SEC matchup against No. 3 Alabama, the junior struck out six Crimson Tide batters in a complete game shutout, while carrying a no-hitter into the seventh. The win moved her up to an 11-1 record, and her ERA dropped from 1.00 to 0.93. She’s second in the country in ERA, right behind Johnson. 

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Nicole Reitz
NICOLE REITZ

Nicole Reitz graduated from Indiana University Indianapolis with a degree in sports journalism in 2022 and has been writing about softball and baseball since 2018 .Her work has been published in various publications like Softball America, the Indianapolis Star, and SoxOn35th.

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