11 DII softball bats that can make a difference in the tournament
The season is coming down the final stretch, and there are still a few weeks of the regular season remaining to pad those DII softball championship resumes. While pitching is always key this time of year, having the explosive bats to counter it will help teams go far into May.
Below are some of the hottest DII softball bats for 2026. We are focusing on teams that are in the tournament hunt. Surprisingly, you won’t see anyone from No. 1 Saint Leo on this list. That is because Izzy LaRoche (.423, 1.163 OPS, seven doubles, six home runs), Abigail Hynes (.413, 1.109 OPS, seven doubles, six home runs) and Briana Neal (,396, 1.141 OPS, 11 doubles, five home runs) are so similar in stats that one simply didn’t stand out among the rest. Perhaps that is what got the Lions to No. 1 — a well-oiled machine that has multiple parts contributing to one of the best hitting and pitching teams in DII.
11 bats to watch down the final stretch
Heather Arnett, Pittsburg State. Well, no kidding. The Gorillas’ senior infielder is having a historic season, on pace to break several DII softball records. She already eclipsed Adams State’s Katelyn Lovato’s record 41-game hitting streak, currently sitting at 43-straight games dating back to last season. She has hit in all 41 games this season, and of those 41 games, 29 have been multi-hit performances, a staggering 71.1 percent. She now has 90 hits, which is just 36 shy of the DII single-season record, and 63 runs scored, which is just 44 shy of the DII single-season record. She is averaging 2.2 hits per game, so with 12 regular-season games remaining, if she keeps up the current pace, Arnett will be about 11 hits shy entering the MIAA tournament.
Jordyn De Los Santos, West Texas A&M. To no one’s surprise, the Buffs are once again one of the top teams in DII. They seem a lock for their fourth-straight DII softball championship and 11th in the past 12 seasons. Leading the run-producing charge is their senior infielder, De Los Santos. She’s currently hitting .504 with a 1.007 slugging percentage, 16 doubles, 15 home runs, 58 runs scored and 60 RBIs. Each one of those stats are a top 10 mark in DII. She was solid for UT Tyler last year, winning a national championship with the Patriots, but has crushed all of her career highs with West Texas A&M. The Buffs are hoping she brings that championship experience this May.
Jillian Albayati, Cal State San Marcos. Albayati, a four-year starter in the infield, is having one of the biggest breakouts in all DII in 2026. She had a fine season a year ago, finishing with a .337 average to go with 15 extra-base hits and 34 RBIs. She is crushing those stats for the Cougars, a team that has held the No. 1 spot multiple times this year. Behind two lengthy hitting streaks of 15 and 19 games, Albayati leads DII with a .566 average and is third with 60 RBIs. She has also seen a power surge this season, blasting 12 home runs (she had 17 total in her three seasons prior) and 17 doubles — her combined total for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. She is a big reason for the Cougars’ continued success and hopes of returning to the final eight for the second time in four years.
Kat Hanson and Arriana Wright, Colorado Christian. The Cougars are 42-2 in a region that has four teams ranked in the top 15 of DII softball. They have an unreal offense and Hanson, a sophomore second baseman, and Wright, a senior utility player, have been explosive in leading the Cougars charge. Hanson is hitting .535 with a 1.483 OPS with 57 runs scored, all of which are top three in DII right now. Wright is tied with Hanson for the team lead with 12 home runs, a top 15 mark in the division, and leads the team with 63 RBIs, which is the most in DII. These aren’t your everyday good hitters; they are not simply leading their team in stats…they are quite literally, statistically speaking, two of the very best in all DII softball.
Brooklyn Willis, UIndy. The Greyhounds are once again rising to the top of the Midwest Region, and while they have some nice hitting to complement her, Willis is the power factory for the No. 4-ranked offense. The sophomore outfielder is hitting a solid .380 with a 1.299 OPS. She leads the GLVC with 16 home runs, 48 RBIs and 55 runs scored. She also is good on the basepaths, leading the Greyhounds with 10 stolen bases on 11 attempts. The Greyhounds have a pair of aces in the circle that power them, but Willis provides the spark that helps them pile up all those wins.
Emma Chisholm, Florida Tech. The Panthers are two wins away from surpassing their 2025 win total and are hoping to reach their first DII softball championship since 2019. Chisholm, a junior infielder, is doing everything in her power to make sure both happen. She is hitting .442 with a 1.410 OPS, 17 home runs and 57 RBIs, all of which are tops on Florida Tech. She leads the Sunshine State Conference in home runs and RBIs, and is third in batting average, giving her a real chance to take home the SSC triple crown.
Chloe Baynes, AUM. The Warhawks have reached No. 1 this year and are currently 34-7 with their sights set on yet another tournament run. Baynes doesn’t do it with a power bat — in her four-year career, she has yet to hit a home run — but she causes chaos on the basepaths. She is one of the GSC’s all-time great hitters, her .435 career batting average is tied for fourth all-time in conference history, and with two more stolen bases, she will be sixth all-time in GSC history with 125. On the season, she is hitting .466 with 47 runs scored and 41 stolen bases.
Zoey Sifuentes, Angelo State. You may recognize Sifuentes’ name, as she was highlighted as one of NCAA.com’s top freshmen to watch earlier this season. Well, she hasn’t slowed down, leading the No. 13 team in the country in batting average (.451), OPS (1.377), home runs (9) and RBIs (61), with all those runs batted in the most among all freshmen and second-most among all DII. You’re looking at who should be a lock for Lone Star freshman of the year and could very well be the DII rookie of the year as well.
Sydnee Reaves, North Georgia. The Nighthawks are a DII softball institution. They have reached the Southeast Region super regionals in nine of the last 10 seasons while advancing to the finals seven times. There is a lot of pressure on this team to keep up with those lofty expectations, and Reaves and her fellow Nighthawks meet the bill every time. Reaves, a senior outfielder, is leading a potent offense, hitting .446 with a 1.370 OPS, 47 runs scored, 20 doubles, 12 home runs, 49 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. She is one of the best all-around players in DII, contributing everywhere on the field.
Greenlee Wells, Oklahoma Baptist. The Bison are trending the wrong way, but at 34-10, they still have some postseason hope. Wells, a senior infielder, has been limited at the plate during the Bison’s recent four-game skid, essentially getting the Barry Bonds treatment — during the losing streak, she has been walked 14 times, eight of which have been intentional, completely taking away any opportunity to do damage with the bat. That bat has been tremendous in those 34 wins, however. On the season, she is hitting .459 with a DII-best 19 home runs, 49 runs scored and 57 RBIs. She also has 10 doubles and 12 stolen bases, so she showcases multiple tools at the plate.