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With high school softball having started nationally this Spring, a team to watch in the South—specifically in the Tampa Bay, Florida area—is the Berkeley Preparatory School.
Heading into tonight’s non-district game against Pinellas Park, the Berkeley Buccaneers are 5-0 and have outscored opponents by nearly a 2-1 ratio (29-15).
Head Coach Dayna Crawford took over the varsity softball team in 2016 and is going into her 7th year with the program. This program has tremendously improved over the last decade thanks to Crawford and the three assistants who currently help her: Danny Sharpe, Anthony Diecidue, and Jaclyn Hirschfeld.
The talent that has highlighted the Bucs program includes notable players who are at, or are headed, to DI schools including the following Berkeley grads over the last 10 years:
- Kristen Hoover (2015 grad, Cal Berkeley/Elon)
- Kristina Foreman (2018 grad, Duke)
- Katie Hoover (2018 grad, Elon)
- Hannah Church (2022 grad, sr. at Berkeley currently, Ohio State)
Among Berkeley’s notable wins to begin the 2022 season have been the kickoff game, a 10-1 victory over last year’s 2A State Champion, Canterbury (St. Petersburg, Fla.) on February 23, and a thrilling 2-0 win over Tampa Catholic that went 10 innings on Tuesday of this week (March 1).
Leading the way individually have been Freshman pitcher Avery Powers, who has a 4-0 record with 51 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched, a 0.90 ERA and a .185 batting average against, and super senior catcher/third baseman Hannah Church, an Ohio State signee who is batting .571 with a .700 on-base percentage, four home runs and seven RBIs.
In that extra-inning affair against Tampa Catholic, Powers threw a 10-inning no-hitter with 22 strikeouts and was one hit batter shy of a perfect game.
Extra Inning Softball’s Jessi Warren got to sit down with Coach Dayna, Hannah and Avery to ask them about their team and year so far… here’s how the interviews went!
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Coach Dayna Crawford
Berkeley had a strong team last year, and this year your team seems like a powerhouse at the plate, on defense, and the pitching staff Is doing phenomenal, what does practice look like, what are you talking to the girls about and how are these girls able to handle so many great pitchers at the start of season and being as successful as they are at the plate?
We are one month into the 2022 varsity softball season, and I have been very impressed with how this group approaches practice. They take the field every day after school with so much effort and intent. They have found a way to be focused and have fun at the same time.
I am fortunate to have an incredible coaching staff, so we can break up and get a lot done in a short period of time. Practices are fast and high energy. Music is bumping, girls are cheering each other on, and we push them hard.
Our conversations with the girls over the past couple weeks have focused on adjustments at the plate within the first at bat and not waiting until your second at bat to adjust. In addition, being a selfless hitter. Get on, move the runner, pass the bat, and keep the momentum alive.
We saw this come to fruition this past weekend when we took on a very talented pitcher, 2024 Ole Miss softball commit Olivia Miller of Bishop Moore (Orlando). We watched a lot of film and had a game plan on how we would adjust at the plate to be successful against her.
With losing the seniors you had last year—3B/P Julia Diecidue, 1B/P Quincey Combs, 2B Cassidy Verville and a solid baserunner in IF Sarina Patel—who do you think is stepping up and doing a good job in filling those shoes of some big hitters and great defense players?
We lost four very strong seniors last year which included almost our entire infield, except for junior shortstop Amelia Kent, and two of our three pitchers. We are very young and only have one senior on this squad. It has been impressive to watch some of these freshman and sophomores really step up and execute under pressure.
A few girls that have stepped up to fill those holes are freshman Avery Powers, Ella Malin, Mackenzie Crerand and sophomores Kaia Cortes and Gracie Murphy. Both defensively and offensively, they have come through huge for us early in the season. We are fortunate that our one senior happens to be Hannah Church, who has put this team on her back early and is leading the way.
What are you hoping to accomplish with this group of girls, this year, and in the future since they are young and you only have one senior?
This season, we have a “one game at a time mentality” and stress not looking too far ahead while being locked in on the next opponent and preparing for that one game. Our schedule this year is very challenging, and I can’t wait to see how the girls respond to it. This team wants to be challenged.
One of the major factors that sets this team apart is how close they are. They all love each other and spend so much time together. It is awesome to watch how much they are laughing and smiling together. It has created an environment where they are playing for each other in every game and not for themselves. This is a special group of girls with so much heart and talent.
One area we have really improved in this year is our pitching staff. We have four pitchers that all offer very different looks. The best part is that there is no ego or selfishness within the staff. They all want the ball but are happy to pass it to their teammates when the time comes. No matter who is on the mound the other three pitchers are so supportive and want success for their teammate. When you pair a great staff with two very talented catchers in Hannah and Mackenzie, it puts our defense in a great situation. We are off to a great start but have a lot of work to do if we want to play late into May.
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Hannah Church:
This year’s team has started off strong, tell us about what is working for you guys collectively in practices as well as in games, and how are you preparing for these opponents you are facing?
I think what’s really helping the team get along this year is that we are just so open with each other without worrying about if others are going to get mad. I can hold my teammates accountable and knowing that they want to get better because of the things we can call each other out on.
Any errors that we make, everyone is picking each other up and not putting our heads down, we are staying in it and practicing and working a lot on fielding and continuing after the ball even if we’ve already made an error, just keeping our energy up throughout the game.
It is your senior year at Berkeley prep… what are some things you hope to accomplish with your team moving forward?
A big goal for the entire team this year is making it to States, and softball hasn’t been to States in years. Personally, I’d really like to be a part of that but I know that is everybody’s main goal and just to get there would be amazing. Winning it would be even better, but just to be at the Final Four would be just as amazing.
What are you most excited for this last year before you head to Ohio State?
High school has always been my free space where I can mess up and it doesn’t hurt anybody so I’m happy to just be able to play freely with my teammates this one last year.
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Avery Powers:
As a freshman, talk to me about your mentality on the mound and how well you work with catchers Mackenzie Crerand and Hannah Church and what you like most about them? Also, how have you allowed fellow pitchers Kaia Cortes and Gracie Murphy to help you grow as an athlete in the circle?
As a freshman at Berkeley, and especially as a pitcher, I always try to stay loose but focused; laughing with my teammates in the infield helps me release some of the nervousness that I’m feeling.
I love working with both Hannah and Mackenzie, they both push me to hit my spots and become the best version of myself on and off the field. What I like about working with Hannah, is that she always lets me know whether the ball is breaking or if my spin is off.
She can see the break and spin better than I can, especially since she’s behind the plate. Also, I like how Mackenzie is always working her hardest and framing. When I’m working my hardest on the mound, I appreciate how both of my catchers work hard for our team.
Kaia and Gracie are both amazing pitchers and provide different looks. As pitchers we can correct things together, and their corrections have helped me improve my pitching. I love corrections from my peers as it deepens our relationship. I am very grateful to have them by my side.
2022 Berkeley Prep Schedule
*Bold – Home Games
- 2/23—Berkley Prep 10, Canterbury 1
- 2/25—Berkley Prep 8, Bishop Moore 7
- 2/26—Berkley Prep 6, The First Academy 5
- 3/1—Berkley Prep 2, Tampa Catholic 0 (10 innings)
- 3/3—Berkeley Prep 3, Palm Harbor Univ. 2
- 3/4 6:00p vs. Pinellas Park
- 3/8 6:00p vs. Wesley Chapel
- 3/11 1:00p @ West Orange
- 3/11 6:30p @ Montverde Academy
- 3/15 6:00p vs. Inspiration Academy
- 3/17 6:00p vs. Tampa Catholic
- 3/29 6:30p vs. Sunlake
- 3/30 7:00p @ Parrish Community
- 3/31 7:00p @ Wesley Chapel
- 4/5 6:30p @ Cypress Creek
- 4/7 6:00p @ Clearwater
- 4/12 4:30p @ McKeel Academy
- 4/14 6:00p @ Osceola
- 4/19 6:00p vs. Inspiration Academy
- 4/21 6:00p vs. Dunedin
- 4/22 6:00p vs. Academy of the Holy Names
- 4/26 6:00p vs. Academy at the Lakes
- 4/28 6:00p @ Indian Rocks Christian
— Jessi Warren, Extra Inning Softball