Extra Inning Softball’s National High School Player of the Week – March 9, 2021 (Week 2)

High school softball is getting back onto the fields across the country and is a welcome sight after most of the 2020 spring season was cancelled.

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.

Games are for Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021 through Saturday, Mar. 6, 2021…

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Extra Inning Softball’s National High School Player of the Week

* It’s not like Annabelle Widra, the outstanding pitcher/infielder from Spain Park (Hoover, Alabama) High, has suddenly come onto the scene.

She was ranked in the Top 10 of the 2021 Extra Elite 100 when it came out last fall and she’s also been a 1^st Team Extra Inning Softball All-American. We’ve also done features on the versatile athlete including this one titled Anabelle Widra Can Do It All on the Field

In 2019, we wrote this about the Michigan signee when she earned her All-Americna honors as a “Multi-Purpose” player:

P/SS So. Annabelle Widra, Spain Park (Hoover) AL
Annabelle put up video game-like numbers as she went 22-2 with a 1.33 ERA and totaled 237 strikeouts in 137 innings. On offense she batted .504 with 72 hits, 70 RBIs and 32 steals. She also led off the game with a home run three times. Anabelle was the Class 7A Area 6 Tournament MVP and a 1^st Team All-State pick as well. She was a 2^nd Team All-State selection in the 7^th grade and will be a six-year varsity player when done.

In a week where there was amazing hitting and pitching performances, Annabelle earns the National Player of the Week recognition for what she did in both areas.

In five games played, she went 9-for-12 at the plate with six home runs, eight RBIs and 10 runs scored… and that as a leadoff hitter! She also took the circle in three games pitched and went 3-0 with 30 strikeouts versus just one walk and an ERA of 0.00.

We asked Annabelle if she was really feeling it.

“I absolutely felt in the zone,” she admitted on Monday. “We played our cross-town rival and it being my senior year, I wanted it to be one to remember. I felt very good and in the zone. Nobody was going to hold me back!”

Being her last season playing for her high school, Annabelle is making sure to soak it all in.

“This year I have really challenged myself to just soak in all my time wearing Spain Park across my chest and just enjoy every moment,” she explains. “Mentally I am just challenging myself to be better every pitch. I want it to be better than the last. On the physical side, I know that I have and continue to work on my craft whether its workouts, practice or lessons, and I have just trusted what I have been doing.”

For the season, she has played in 13 games with a .724 batting average and seven home runs, five doubles and a triple in 28 plate appearances. She is 7-1 in the circle and has pitched 33 innings with 69 K’s and has given up just two walks.  Her current ERA is 0.21 and has given up two runs, only one of them earned.

The future Big Ten player says she got with her coaches to see how she could go from “good to great” both in her hitting and pitching.

“In my hitting lessons, my coach and I really have taken the time to analyze my swing,” the athlete continues. “For example, we have really taken the time to work on hitting the outside pitch with power and using not only my hands but my lower body. My pitching coach and I have taken the time to fine tune my pitches. We ‘milk it.’ I don’t always throw bullpens. We take time to work on specific drills to make my pitches better.”

In her club season with the Birmingham Thunderbolts last summer, Annabelle helped her team in an 18U National Championship and has worked with her brother, Tristen, a baseball player to “push each other in every way.” Now, it’s time to go out with a bang in her senior campaign.

“I am looking forward to the rest of my senior season,” she concludes, “doing everything to win a state championship and graduating from Spain Park. I am excited to make many more memories with my friends and family before I head to Ann Arbor, but I am very excited to start a new chapter playing for Coach Hutch (Carol Hutchins at Michigan). I think these next four years are going to be the best four years of my life.”

Runner-Up National Player of the Week

* Madison “Dee” McClarity, a 2022 infielder with Sachse (Texas) High, had an explosive week going 16-for-26 with a .615 batting average and five home runs—two of them grand slams.

The Texas Tech commit also had five doubles and 18 RBIs for her Mustangs team.

Dee is a member of the 2022 Extra Elite 100 rankings and was also an Extra Inning Softball 2020 All-Summer Honoree after she batted “.403 with five doubles, three triples, 11 homers, 35 runs scored and 38 RBIs with Hotshots Premier-Nelson.

Honorable Mention National Players of the Week

* Kylei Griffin, a 2022 shortstop at Chapel Hill (Tyler, Texas) High, went 12-for-16 with a .750 batting average, a .778 on-base percentage, a stellar 2.465 OPS with three home runs and no walks batting at the top of the order.

Kylie, who is currently uncommitted, is also a 1^st Team All-District player in basketball.

* Lauren Garcia, a 2021 grad at Montwood (El Paso, Texas) High and a signee with New Mexico, went 8-for-12 in three games with five home runs and 10 RBIS.

She compiled a .667 batting average, a .692 on-base percentage, a 2.167 slugging percentage and a remarkable 2.859 OPS. Lauren’s school is at the 6A level playing good competition.

* Sage Hoover is a 2021 pitcher at Rains (Emory, Texas) High, the top-ranked 3A team in the TGCA poll and went 4-0 against 5A and 6A teams last week.

The Northwestern State signee pitched three shutouts, had a 0.479 ERA with a 0.34 WHIP and had 58 K’s in 29.2 innings, averaging 1.95 K’s per inning.

* Haidyn Sokoloski, a 2022 grad committed to Oklahoma State from Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas), went 8-for-18 with five home runs, nine RBIs and compiled a .444 batting average with an OPS of 1.863.

* Julie Kelley, 2024 pitcher for Seabreeze (Daytona Beach, Florida) High, went 3-1 on the week with 40 K’s in 15 innings and had just one earned run. She also batted .555 with eight RBIs and an inside-the-park home run. Her team has a 7-1 record with the lone loss being a 1-0 decision versus district power Matanzas High.

For the season she had 100 K’s in 38 innings with a 0.36 ERA and a .098 batting average against while  hitting .611 with 11 RBIs. When the varsity doesn’t have a game, Julie will catch for JV games, which she’s never done before this year.

* Campbell Newell, a 2023 shortstop from Leroy (Alabama) High had a huge game last Saturday hitting four home runs including three back-to-back to back. For the week she was 5-for-9 with a double and the four bombs along with three walks, six steals and 9 RBIs.

Campbell was an Honorable Mention All-State player as an 8^th grader and made All-State as a freshman.

* Madison Lagle, a 2022 lefty pitcher and first baseman for Baker County (Glen St. Mary, Florida) High had 20 K’s in 10 innings pitched while giving up just three hits.

She is committed to South Alabama and has 61 K’s in 24 innings total for the season and only six hits allowed.

* Maryssa Zenzen, a 2023 grad from Waller (Harris Co., Texas) High, went 12-for-19 with three home runs and 9 RBIs.

Here’s video of some of her game highlights from last weekend:

* Hannah Marien, a 2022 pitcher at Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs, Florida) High threw two no-hitters and had 28 K’s in 13 innings while going 3-for-6 at the plate.

In her two no-hitters, she struck out 13 in one game, a six-inning win, and 15 in the other victory to earn MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of the Week for the South Region.

* Kennedy Stanley, a 2021 infielder at Joaquin (Texas) High was the South Central Region honoree for the MaxPreps/NFCA as she went 12-for-14 with four doubles, a home run, 14 RBIs and 12 runs scored to help her team go 5-0.

In 18 at-bats, she compiled a 1.500 slugging percentage and a .778 on-base percentage.

* Finally, here’s a player who had a nice week all in one day: Kirsten Fincannon, a 2024 pitcher/infielder from Dublin, Texas…

Had a great day on the dirt today going 7-7 at bat with 6 RBI’s and 2 💣💣’s. Pitched 6 innings with 14 K’s #attitudeandeffort @ARNareaSports @TXFusionGold16U @Gosset41 @BigCountrySport @Los_Stuff @TarletonSB @ETBU_Softball @OCeaglesSB @cowgirlsoftball @ATUSoftball pic.twitter.com/gNaozzFsTT

— kiersten fincannon 🥎 2024 (@KFincannon) March 6, 2021

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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: info@extrainningsoftball.com.

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Extra Inning Softball National High School Players of the Week (Past & Present)

2021

• 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)