West metro softball: Teams and players to watch, key games, things to know

Chanhassen (4A): The defending Class 4A champs might be better than last year.

Buffalo (4A): Morgan DeMarais, Emily Hanson and company are experienced and dangerous.

Bloomington Jefferson (4A): Can pitcher Hailey Martinez top her 12-2, 1.08 ERA stats from last season?

Hopkins (4A): Senior pitcher MaKenzie Merritt is one of the metro's best-kept secrets.

Maple Grove (4A): No longer young with 11 of their top 12 players back from 2016.

Rogers (4A): Replacing 2016 Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year Katelyn Kemmetmueller is first and foremost.

Delano (3A): Shortstop Tori Hanson (.532 in 2016) is one of the metro's most feared hitters.

Annandale (2A): The Cardinals have eight of nine starters returning, led by pitcher Sarah Johnson.

West Lutheran (1A): The Warriors are a small-school power, but can they escape rugged Section 4 of Class 1A?

(Listed alphabetically. All are seniors unless noted)

Charlie Bailey, Mound Westonka, C/1B: Seven home runs last season set the school single-season record.

Natalie DenHartog, Hopkins, SS: Strong-armed shortstop recently committed to Augustana.

Sarah Johnson, Annandale, P, jr: 16-9 with a 0.35 ERA and 229 strikeouts in 2016.

Taylor Manno, Chanhassen, P: The top hurler for the state's best team is Rutgers-bound.

Molly McGarry, Edina, C: Hit .479 with four home runs in 2016.

Anne Miller, Bloomington Jefferson, C: Hits for average and power, has a cannon for an arm.

Lauren York, Delano, P, jr. : 16-7 record, 144 strikeouts as a sophomore.

Afton Zemke, West Lutheran, P, so.: 2016 team MVP is a sophomore but already in her fourth year as a pitcher.

April 20: Bloomington Jefferson at Chanhassen, 4:30 p.m.

April 25: Hopkins at Rosemount, 4:30 p.m.

April 28: Chanhassen at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

May 9: Delano at New Prague, 4:30 p.m.

May 18: Anoka at Maple Grove, 4:30 p.m.

1. Minnetonka's Mary Beth Wiig is entering her 28th year as head coach and is 16 victories shy of 400 for her career.

2. Maple Grove sophomore infielder Jade Tomashek moved to Minnesota from Irvine, Calif.

3. St. Michael-Albertville juniors Riley Carlson and Brooke Burditt are entering their fourth season together as a pitching tandem.

4. Numbers are up at Minnehaha Academy, which is fielding a JV team for the first time in three seasons.