National High School Player of the Week (May 23, 2023)

Week 15 of our 2023 National High School Player of the Week series sees more and more teams finish off their seasons with state playoffs and some of the most impressive performances this week came when the stakes were highest and the pressure the greatest.

Each week until the end of the Spring high school, 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 Sunday, May 14, 2023, through Saturday, May 20, 2023…

Note also that these players having great weeks will also be in consideration for our Extra Inning Softball All-American Teams to be released later this year!

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

Talk about your dynasties.

Salpointe High out of Tucson, Ariz., won its fifth straight state title last week by defeating powerful Greenway High of Phoenix 2-0 to complete its season with a 35-1 record and a rating of #10 in the latest Extra Elite 80 National High School Rankings.

BYU-bound pitcher Gianna Mares once again came up big for the Lady Lancers as she struck out seven, gave up only two hits and one unintentional walk to end her senior season with a shutout win she’ll remember forever.

Here’s a recap of the game by Tucson’s News 4 KVOA-TV:

Gianna continued her dominating pitching in the playoffs after she shutout Paradise Honors, 8-0, in the semifinals with 13 strikeouts.

In the title game, not only did the pitcher get it done with her arm, she also went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Gianna had another huge year pitching and hitting for her juggernaut state championship team. She went 13-0 on the mound with a 0.64 ERA and had 125 strikeouts in 76.1 innings pitched. In the post-season overall, the senior went 4-0 with a 0.54 ERA and had 42 K’s in 26 innings pitched.

Offensively, the future Big 12 player batted .486 for the season with a .561 on-base percentage, a 1.114 slugging mark and an OPS of 1.678 while helping her own cause by hitting 15 home runs and driving in 57 RBIs.

The key to the state title win, Salpointe coaches and players knew, would be limiting the damage done by Greenway’s star senior pitcher and hitter Kaitlyn Terry, who struck out 10 in six innings, allowing just one walk and two unearned runs over six innings.

But the UCLA signee, ranked as the No. 5 recruit in the 2023 Extra Elite 100, didn’t have a chance to do much damage with the bat as Mares intentionally walked Terry all three times the All-American was at the plate.

“Kaitlyn is an incredible player all around,” the Salpointe star pointed out, “and I knew that the best option for my team to win another state title was to walk her and focus on the rest of her team.  It worked.”

A big key for Gianna’s success—over the last two years, the pitcher has gone a perfect 31-0—has been her mental approach to the game.

“I like to treat every game and every at-bat the same,” she told Extra Inning Softball this week, “meaning that I am always giving the current batter my best.”

Named to the 2022 Extra Inning Softball 1st Team High School All-Americans – Multi-Purpose list as a junior, she led Salpointe to a 23-2 record and the fourth of its five state titles in the current streak (the 2020 season playoffs were cancelled because of COVID).

Last year, Gianna batted .429 with a .523 on-base percentage with 45 RBIs and 15 home runs. On the mound, she was 18-0 with a 1.68 ERA and had 195 K’s in 120.2 innings.

This summer, she’ll play her travel ball season with Bret Denio’s Explosion Premier 18U team before she heads off to Provo, Utah to compete for the BYU Cougars.

Salpointe Head Softball Coach Tricia Sztan raved about her star two-way player after capturing her own second state title as the Lady Lancers’ leader.

“Gianna is an incredibly talented softball player,” Coach Sztan explains. “From the pitching mound to the batter’s box and outfield, she is a true competitor in every situation. The truly astonishing characteristic about Gianna is how she looks at every rep (hitting, fielding & pitching) in a game or at practice and constantly evaluates how she can grow with her next rep to best help her team. She is a true student of the game and consistently shines in the face of adversity.”

As things calm down after the exciting 2023 season, the coach says she’ll always treasure the team’s success and will remember her pitcher’s accomplishments forever.

“I will always remember Gianna and her fierce competitiveness,” Coach Sztan continues, “but two moments stand out to me.”

“Gianna’s junior year— it was our first tournament and my first week of coaching the 2022 team in competition—and it was her first appearance of the year. We were playing the returning 3A State Champs (we were the returning 4A state champs) and the field was packed with fans and the energy was electric. Gianna took the mound, and commanded the plate, commanded each batter with tenacity and confidence. I will always remember that game and what it started for our 2022 season.”

“The second moment, Gianna’s senior year, was during the 2023 post-season in the CDO (Canyon del Oro) quarterfinal game. We were on defense, Gianna in the circle, runner on third, a bunt was laid down and watching Gianna field the bunt with her athleticism and knowing they needed the out at home and executing the play was true excellence. Defense wins championships, and two games later the defense did, but in part because of that play.”

If one word could be used to describe this five-time championship team, what would it be?

“Resiliency,” believes the coach.

“This group was incredibly resilient time and time again. Their mental toughness was a true key to their success and, even when things didn’t go their way, they came back stronger, and Gianna was a prime example of that resiliency.”

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball

*** 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 2023 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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Previous 2023 Extra Inning Softball National High School Players of the Week

• May 16: P/1B Sydney Vitangcol(Wisconsin Lutheran, Milwaukee, Wisc.)
• May 9: C Maggie Daniel (Spain Park, Hoover, Ala.)
• May 2: P Kaitlyn Pallozzi P (Mercy, Farmington Hill, Mich.
• Apr. 25: P Makenzie Freeman P/IF (Hackett, Ark.)
• Apr. 18: P/UT Mallie West (New Waverly, Texas)
• Apr. 11: OF Cassidy McLellan (Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Fla.)
• Apr. 4: P/UT Julia Shearer (North Penn, Lansdale, Pa.)
• Mar. 28: SS Ashlynn Campbell (Wetumpka, Ala.)
• Mar. 21: 1B Madilynn George (Rouse, Leander, Texas)
• Mar. 14: OF Aniya Merritt (Lumberton, N.C.)
• Mar. 7 (tie):  P Jazzy Francik (Melbourne, Fla.) & P Julie Kelley (Spruce Creek, Port Orange, Fla.)
• Feb. 28: P Jayden Heavener (Pace, Fla.)
• Feb. 21: P/SS Lexie Warncke (East Bernard, Texas)
• Feb. 13: OF Gigi Ganje (Aliso Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Calif.)

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Extra Inning Softball National High School Players of the Week (Prior to 2023)

2022

• June 14: P Courtney Layne (Appomattox County, Appomattox, Virginia)
• June 7: SS Graciela Dominguez (James Madison, Vienna, Virginia)
• May 31: 1B Macee Eaton (Wheelersburg, Ohio)
• May 24: P Karyln Pickens (North Buncombe, Weaverville, North Carolina)
• May 17: P Keagan Rothrock (Roncalli, Indianapolis, Indiana)
• May 10: SS Teagan Thrunk (Point Pleasant Boro, Point Pleasant, New Jersey)
• 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)

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