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We are well into the Spring season and some states are halfway through their softball schedules, believe it or not!
Each Tuesday for the next several months we’ll honor top performances nationwide; if you’d like to have a player considered, scroll down to see how to fill in a nomination.
Players below are recognized for play in games Sunday, Mar. 28, 2021 through Saturday, Apr. 3, 2021…
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Extra Inning Softball’s National High School Player of the Week
* Jayla Castro, the senior catcher and outfielder for Rocklin (California) High, had a strong week last week as she hit .636 with six RBIs, a pair of home runs and doubles and for the season is hitting .556 with a 1.111 slugging percentage.
The Northern California standout, who is signed with UCLA and has been invited to play for the Colombian National Team, has teamed with battery mate Brook Thompson, a Boise State committed pitcher/first baseman, to lead the Thunder to a 5-0 record and a #5 ranking in the state according to CalHiSports.com.
In her last home game, a 10-0 win against Lincoln, Jayla had a three-run homer, a single and two doubles although on of one of the doubles “the coach stopped me or I would’ve had a triple and hit for the cycle!”
Four of the team’s wins have come against strong programs ranked in the Top 25 of the Sac-Joaquin Section and Jayla has been a big reason why.
Not just a dangerous power hitter, Jayla is also calling the games this year and has been effectively working with Brook, her standout pitcher, to mix in a riseball and curve.
Jayla feels she’s hitting her groove now after being given the trust of her Thunder coaches to lead as a team captain.
“I think right now, the last few games I’ve been able to flip the switch,” she told Extra Inning Softball this morning.
“I was focused at first on calling pitches and being a team captain, and recently have worked extra hard on my hitting. I have had sessions three times a week for catching and pulled that back a bit to start doing more on hitting with my Dad and my trainer.”
Humorously, in a 7-3 over Pleasant Grove last week, her best friend and former club teammate Jayda Rath stole on her and Jayla laughs it was only because the shortstop was late covering.
“Jayda knows me and was baiting me,” Jayla laughs. “I still think I had her!”
That’s the only “damage” that’s been done on the standout defensive catcher this season—so far this year she has three back picks and has thrown out two other would-be base stealers as teams know to not try and test her.
Jayla is planning on studying Psychology at UCLA with a minor in Film & Theater.
For her leadership, defensive standout work and strong hitting, Jayla is our National Player of the Week.
Runner-Up National Players of the Week
* Kassandra Machado, a 2021 signee with Liberty University and dangerous power-hitter for Doral Academy (Miami, Florida), had a huge week playing in the 29th annual Roger Jones Kissimmee Klassic Prep Softball tournament in Kissimmee, Florida.
Nicknamed “KC,” the South Florida standout had a .625 batting average with five home runs and 16 RBIs in four games to help her team go 3-1. She also scored seven runs and had a stolen base.
All five of Kassandra’s home runs were over the fence including three that came in one game.
For the season, KC has smacked eight home runs with 24 RBIs and has scored 15 runs.
* 2022 lefty pitcher Madison Lagle of Baker County (Glen St. Mary, Florida) High, threw a perfect game against Trenton High, which hadn’t lost a game in three years and was 47-0.
Madison struck out 23 of the 24 batters she faced and for the week three 13 innings with 31 K’s.
She didn’t allow an earned run for the week and so far this season the South Alabama commit had thrown 58 innings with 123 K’s and has a 1.20 ERA.
Honorable Mention National Players of the Week
* Erin Hoehn, a sophomore P/MIF for North Posey High in Poseyville, Indiana and #15 ranked player in the 2023 Extra Elite 100, played her first high school game on March 29 and threw a no-hitter with 20 K’s in seven innings and also hit a grand slam in a 7-1 victory.
On April 1, she pitcher in her first conference game and threw four innings of no-hit ball while striking out 11.
In her first three games of her varsity high school career, Erin is hitting .500 with the grand slam and has thrown 14 innings with 39 strikeouts and no hits.
*2021 centerfielder Jordan Stephens of Robinson High in Tampa, Florida helped her Knights team go 5-1 last week as she batted .583 (14-for-24) with three doubles, two triples and 7 RBIs.
The Alabama signee and team captain had a .615 on-base percentage and a strong 1.490 OPS. At the Kissimmee Klassic she batted .556 with 10 hits in 18 at-bats and helped Robinson go 3-1 with the only loss being to Gold Bracket champions University of Orange City 5-4.
Defensively, Jordan had 10 putouts in centerfield for the tournament and according to her coaches “covered a lot of ground and made some great plays in very windy conditions.”
* Kasey Wood, a 2023 P/3B for Bentonville (Arkansas) High went 10-for-21 (.476) last week with nine RBIs, three doubles and three home runs and also pitched 10 innings with no runs allowed, just two hits and 22 Ks.
Kasey is batting .436 for the season with 20 RBIs and four homers and in the circle hasn’t allowed an earned run yet.
* Kasey’s teammate, 2023 C Sara Watson, is also off to a strong start and is hitting .511 on the season with four home runs and 18 RBIs.
She batted .680 last week (17-for-25) with 13 RBIs and three home runs. Sara already ahs a couple DII offers and has growing DI interest.
* 2022 P/3B/OF Kenley Hilleary of Austin (Decature, Alabama) High went 11-for-18 (.611) last week with four home runs, three triples and 13 RBIs.
In the circle she pitched 15 innings with 29 K’s, two hits allowed and three earned runs.
For the season, Kenley is batting .441 with four homers and 26 RBIs as part of a 1.326 OPS. She also is strong in her pitching stats: 55 innings, 111 K’s, a 1.22 ERA and a .122 batting average against.
She has several college offers but is uncommitted at this time.
*** Scroll down to see who else had excellent weeks nationwide!
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Nomination Process
Each week during the spring and summer high school seasons, Extra Inning Softball honors a National High School Player of the Week.
Honoree are announced every Tuesday ; cutoff for submitting the nominations is each Monday at noon EST/9 am PST.
We’re looking for standouts who excelled in the circle, at the plate or in the field so be sure to nominate your favorite performance(s) by submitting the following:
- Player Name
- Grad Year (example: Class of 2021 or Senior)
- Position(s)
- High school team name with city/state
- Stats for the week (be as detailed as possible!)
- Up-to-date season stats if possible
- Recruiting information if applicable
- Any interesting background on the player
- Action and/or head shots
- If possible, contact info if we’d like more info or quotes
Email info and photos (1-4 as available) by the cutoff of Monday at noon EST/9 am PST to: [email protected].
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Extra Inning Softball National High School Players of the Week (Past & Present)
2021
- Apr. 6: C Jayla Castro (Rocklin, California)
- Mar. 30: SS Brooke Blankenship (River Ridge, New Port Richey, Florida)
- Mar. 23: SS Rylee Cloud (Fairview, Grant, Louisiana)
- Mar. 16: IF Jenna Madison (Curry, Jasper, Alabama)
- Mar. 9: P/IF Annabelle Widra (Spain Park, Hoover, Alabama)
- Mar. 2: C/3B Elizabeth Moffitt (Prosper, Texas)
2020
Season cancelled in March due to COVID-19 pandemic
- Mar. 17: P Kenzi Lyall (Alleghany, Sparta, North Carolina)
- Mar. 10: C Maci Bergeron (Notre Dame, Crowley, Louisiana)
- Mar. 3: IF Jayda Coleman (The Colony, Texas)
- Feb. 26: IF/P Micaela Wark (Reedy, Frisco, Texas)
2019
- Jun. 10: P/1B Sydney Supple (North, Oshkosh, Wisconsin)
- May 27: P Aynslie Furbush (Winter Springs, Florida)
- May 20: SS Bailey Dowling (St. Joseph-Ogden, St. Joseph, Illinois)
- May 13: P Britton Rogers (Cypress Ranch, Cypress, Texas)
- May 6: C Neely Peterson (Cypress Creek Middle, Wesley Chapel, Florida)
- Apr. 29: OF/IF/P Angela Zedak (Marist, Chicago, Illinois)
- Apr. 22: SS Kali Heivilin (Three Rivers, Michigan)
- Apr. 15: 3B Trinity Cannon (Forney, Texas)
- Apr. 8: P/1B Sydney Supple (North, Oshkosh, Wisconsin)
- Apr. 1: OF Leea Hanks (Eustis, Florida)
- Mar. 25: P/IF Madison Inscoe (Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, Suffolk, Virginia)
- Mar. 18: 1B/OF Avery Goelz (Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Florida)
- Mar. 11: OF/2B Tanya Windle (Cactus, Glendale, Arizona)
- Mar. 4: SS Hallie Wacaser (Bentonville West, Centerton, Arkansas)
- Feb. 25: P Stevie Hansen (Norco, California)
2018
- May 27: P Lexi Kilfoyl (Academy at the Lakes, Land O’ Lakes, Florida)
- May 20: P Ashley Rogers (Meigs County, Decatur, Tennessee)
- May 13 (tie): P Sydney Supple (Oshkosh North, Oshkosh, Wisconsin)
- May 13 (tie): OF Lexi Voss (Marist, Chicago, Illinois)
- May 6: P Danielle Williams (Amador Valley, Pleasanton, California)
- April 29: P Montana Fouts (East Carter, Grayson, Kentucky)
- April 22: IF Kasey Simpson (Keller, Texas)
- April 15: SS Jayda Coleman (The Colony, Texas)
- April 8: P Megan Faraimo (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego, California)
- April 1: C Macy Simmons (Hamilton, Chandler, Arizona)
- March 25: C Paige Pfent (Springstead, Spring Hill, Florida)
- March 18: SS/OF Deja Westbrook (Arcadia, California)
- March 11: P Megan Faraimo (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego, California)