Senior Trinity Stevenson and her Riverside Brookfield High School softball teammates didn’t need long to anticipate this season.
“We’ve been talking about it almost since last season ended,” Stevenson said. “I think our strength is honestly just our bond together. We’re always just so excited to be together and bond with each other.”
The Bulldogs possess a talented and now experienced group with seven returning starters who finished 24-10 last season and captured their first Class 4A regional title since 2022 before losing to Marist 8-1 in the sectional semifinals. The Bulldogs also were third in their Upstate Eight Conference East Division debut at 13-5 and continued improving as the season progressed, winning 16 of their final 20 games.
Juniors Alexis Busse (catcher), Reese Milchhoefer (pitcher/outfield), and Sophia Runquist (outfield) and sophomores Mia Melendez (first base/pitcher), Amelia Pytel (pitcher/infield) and Braylin Naylor (outfield) also are returning starters. Also back are seniors Abby Weinert (infield/outfield), infielders Olivia Ballon and Abby Krueger and Kennedy Holakovsky (flex). Newcomers include seniors Joselyn Hernandez and Rosie Gonzalez, sophomore Kate Hamilton and freshman Ella Ryzewski.
The Bulldogs won 6-3 over Lyons Township Saturday and 8-1 in the March 19 opener over Oak Park and River Forest, third in 4A last season.
“We’re super-excited. We started last year great and were rolling into this year starting off great and confident. That’s all you can ask,” RBHS coach Emma Jarrell said. “(With more experience) the girls know what it takes to beat good teams and they’re more relaxed and confident, which has shone the first two games.”
A four-year starter, Stevenson was all-conference for the second year in a row last season after batting .455 with 32 runs batted in. Melendez (.458, team highs of 11 HR, 60 RBIs and 1.443 OPS) was the only freshman among the 18 All-UEC first-team selections. Receiving honorable mention was Pytel (11-3, 2.53 earned run average, 169 strikeouts in 108 innings, .282, 3 HR, 17 RBIs), who again will be the primary pitcher. Leadoff hitter and left fielder Naylor (.402), Busse (.360), Runquist (.358) and Milchhoefer (.271, 4-2 pitching record) also are coming off solid offensive seasons.
Defensively, Stevenson excelled in her first time regularly playing shortstop for the Bulldogs or traveling softball. The Bulldogs graduated all-state third baseman Ellie Megall and All-UEC honorable mention second baseman Ella Jurgens.
Riverside-Brookfield’s shortstop Trinity Stevenson (7) gets set on defense against Lyons Township during a nonconference game Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Amelia Pytel (8) gets set in the batter’s box against Lyons Township during a nonconference game Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
“Growing as a player at a different position, it kind of made me happy,” Stevenson said. “Continuing that gives me confidence to build off last year.”
Weinert and Milchhoefer also have played varsity since they were freshmen. The Bulldogs also reached 20 wins in 2024 (21-11).
“We definitely lost some important members but that’s really helpful to be (on varsity) for so many years to grow and know how to work well together,” Weinert said. “(Jarrell and assistant coach Doug Schultz) always tell us talking on the field is really big. Having the bond but also in the field to be talking, that’s really important to win.”
Against OPRF, Stevenson (3 for 4) and Melendez homered and Naylor (2 for 3) doubled. Patel threw a two-hitter with eight strikeouts and five walks.