Six Pensacola area natives set to compete in NCAA softball regionals

Before her college career, Ammon was the 2023 PNJ Pitcher of the Year and a 2024 First Team All-Area selection.

Caitlyn Gavin, South Alabama (Jay, 2023)

Gavin is the first of three South Alabama players on this list. The junior infielder's played in 42 games and started 20, batting .233 with an RBI and 13 runs scored.

South Alabama is playing in the Baton Rouge regional with Akron, LSU and Virginia Tech. The Jaguars will play Virginia Tech at 3 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Jaguars are making their third NCAA Tournament apperance in the last six years and have never advanced to the Super Regionals.

Gavin played varsity softball for Jay starting in seventh grade, where she was a three-time PNJ All-Area selection and helped the Royals win the 2022 1A state championship.

Jayden Heavener, LSU (Pace, 2024)

Pace alum Jayden Heavener (00) has been a standout for the LSU softball team.

The 2024 MaxPreps National Player of the Year, Heavener has thrown the most innings as part of a solid pitching core for the Tigers this spring. She's 12-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 126 1/3 innings pitched and was D1 Softball Second Team Freshman All-American a year ago.

LSU is hosting Akron, South Alabama and Virginia Tech in the Baton Rouge Regional and will host Akron on May 15 at 5:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Tigers are the No. 16 national seed and are making their 16th straight NCAA Tournament appearance. They'll be looking for eighth Super Regional appearance in the last 11 NCAA Tournaments.

LSU hosted a regional in 2025, but went 1-2 and fell short of the super regionals.

Shelby McKenzie, Florida State (Pace, 2024)

A three-time PNJ Hitter of the Year, McKenzie has been a solid utility bat for the Seminoles this spring, batting .286 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs for the ACC champions. She named NFCA National Player of the Week on March 24. after going 6-for-7 with two home runs and six RBIs in a three-game sweep of California.

The Seminoles are the No. 9 national seed and will host UCF, Jacksonville and Stetson in the Tallahassee Regional. Florida State will open regional play against Stetson on May 15 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN+.

Florida State is playing in its 26th straight tournament and hosting its 12 straight regional. The Seminoles are looking to advance to the super regionals for the fifth time in the last six years.

Sydney Scapin, South Alabama (West Florida, 2024)

Scapin has been the Jaguars No. 2 option in her sophomore season and is 8-9 with a 2.65 ERA in 95 innings pitched. That includes a start in a 3-2 win over Texas State in the Conference USA Final, where she pitched three scoreless innings.

Scapin had a record setting career at West Florida, graduating with a program record 1,009 strikeouts including a single-season record 331 as a sophomore. She was a four-time All-PNJ selection, winning co-Pitcher of the Year in 2022 and Pitcher of the Year in 2024.

Kara Wine, South Alabama (Tate, 2025)

Wine has made an immediate impact for the Jaguars in her first college season. Playing in mostly a designated player role but also seeing time at catcher, Wine batted .323 with four home runs and 26 RBIs in 48 games, making 44 starts.

She set the program record for home runs at Tate with 29 and her nine HRs as a junior are a program single-season record.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Six Pensacola area natives to compete in NCAA softball tournament