High school softball continues across the country and we honor those athletes who have shined on the field!
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 out a nomination.
Games are for May 1, 2022 through May 7, , 2022…
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Extra Inning Softball’s National High School Player of the Week
* It was a tremendous week for pitching, most notably for the top-ranked pitchers in the 2023 Extra Elite 100, Keagan Rothrock, and the 2024 Extra Elite 100, Jayden Heavener, as we shall highlight in a minute (both will be named 2022 Extra Inning Softball All-Americans when that list is published later this summer).
However, for this week’s Player of the Week, we had to go with the amazing hitting performance of senior shortstop Teagan Thrunk, a shortstop for Point Pleasant Boro High in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, as she went a sparkling 12-for-14 for a .857 batting average last week in four games.
The Virginia tech signee, ranked #58 in the 2022 Extra Elite 100, had two home runs over the fence, three triples, four doubles, four singles and three walks—including one intentional pass when her team was losing in the 6th inning by one run with no outs and a runner on first… that’s how much the opposition respected her!
She also scored eight runs, drove in seven more and stole three bases while going errorless in the field and turning two double plays. Still it was her hitting demonstration that had softball fans on the East Coast in awe.
“I felt really comfortable at the plate last week,” Teagan told Extra Inning Softball. “I think what helps me the most is mental confidence and always looking for hard contact.”
The future ACC player competes in travel ball for the Jersey Intensity 18U KOD National Team and is a finalist for both the PGF All American Game in July and the Alliance All Star Game.
Chris Ferrone, the school’s Athletic Director, calls the senior softball player “the consummate student-athlete,” adding:
“Teagan is a leader on and off the field. Not only is she one of the best softball players in the state of New Jersey, but an excellent student in the classroom. She is also a leader on the field and represents Point Pleasant Boro to the highest of standards! I have always seen Teagan as someone that remains positive at all times, and is an outstanding teammate. I look forward to seeing her continued success the remainder of the season!”
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Runner-Up National Players of the Week
* Keagan Rothrock, the junior pitcher for Roncalli High in Indianapolis, Indiana, has her team ranked #3 nationally in the latest Extra Elite 80 High School Team Rankings and it’s going to be tough to beat the future Florida Gator and her defending state champs if they continue to dominate as they’ve done all season, going undefeated so far through the end of last week.
In two games last week, Teagan three her third perfect game of the season, striking out 13 in five innings and in another win tossed a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts in five innings.
She also hit .500 for the week and the Jr. Olympic team member now has an amazing 15-0 record with 186 K’s in 82 innings and has thrown 10 shutouts, five no-hitters and the trio of perfect games while also slugging nine home runs, eight doubles, two triples and batting .610 with 36 RBIs.
* Jayden Heavener, the top-ranked player overall in the 2024 class, threw two complete-game no-hitters last week with one being to win the District Championship for Pace (Florida) High.
The talented sophomore pitcher hasn’t given up a hit in her last 26 innings pitched and has now thrown eight no-hitters on the season so far. In her two no-hitters she compiled 27 K’s in the 14 innings with a 0.00 ERA and even batted .500 herself and had five intentional walks.
For the year, Jayden is 13-2 with a 0.70 ERA and has struck out 237 batters, averaging an amazing 2.4 K’s per inning. She’s also batting .404 with 26 RBIs and five home runs. The team is 22-4 heading into Regionals this week.
* Makynlie Jones, a senior shortstop/pitcher for Vardaman (Mississippi) High helped her team reach the third round of the state playoffs as she shined on both sides of the ball last week, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs while being walked four times, thrice intentionally.
The McNeese State signee also pitched both games giving up three earned runs in the wins while striking out 10.
* Pickle Winkler continues to be a mainstay in our weekly write-ups as she continues to light it up for Christian County High School in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
The All-American probable who signed with Louisville once again had a big week as she went 9-for-14 (.643 batting average; .706 on-base percentage) with three doubles, two triples, six runs scored and had an assist at the plate.
Pickle holds the school’s single season steals record with 45 and the career mark at 124. She has had a stellar career, surpassing the 200-hit mark and other key milestones including over 90 walks, 150 steals, 100 RBIs and 250 runs for her career.
The senior currently has 41 college hours and will graduate in May with a total of 51 college hours in addition to working two jobs: one at the city Sportsplex and the other as a tutor for K-6 at her former elementary school. She also teaches softball skills to several younger girls.
*** Scroll down to read about more outstanding performances across the nation in high school softball last week!
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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 2022 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 (Historically)
2022
- May 3: SS Abby Hornberger (Regina, Warren, Michigan)
- Apr. 26: OF Cassidy McLellan (Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Florida)
- Apr. 19: P/UT Madison Knight (Patterson Mill, Bel Air, Maryland)
- Apr. 12: OF Chelsea Mack (Brecksville, Ohio)
- Apr. 5: P/IF Madison Inscoe (Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, Suffolk, Virginia)
- Mar. 29: P Rose Malen (Marin Catholic, Kentfield, Calif.)
- Mar 22: P Katie Kutz (Bishop O’Connell, Arlington, Virginia)
- Mar. 15: IF Tanya Windle (Cactus, Glendale, Arizona)
- Mar. 8: P Jayden Nishi (South, Torrance, California)
- Mar. 1: P Marissa McCann (Willow Canyon, Surprise, Arizona)
- Feb. 22: 1B Sydney Lewis (Prosper, Texas)
2021
- June 15: P Eden Bingham (Rustburg, Virginia)
- June 8: P Lauren Derkowski (York, Elmhurst, Illinois)
- June 1: SS Shayne Immke (St. Joseph-Ogden, St. Joseph, Illinois)
- May 25: OF Cassidy McLellan (Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Florida)
- May 18: IF Abby Ota (Joel Barlow (Redding, Connecticut)
- May 11: IF Kali Heivilin (Three Rivers, Michigan)
- May 4: P Maya Johnson (St. Joseph Academy, Cleveland, Ohio)
- Apr. 27: P/UT Karlyn Pickens (North Buncombe, Weaverville, North Carolina)
- Apr. 20: P/IF Madison Inscoe (Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, Suffolk, Virginia)
- Apr. 13: P Keagan Rothrock (Roncalli, Indianapolis, Indiana)
- 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)
