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Get on board with Extra Inning Softball’s regular feature, The Last Inning.
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at [email protected]. You can also send items/story ideas to Carlos Arias via email at [email protected] or via Twitter @Los_Stuff.
Here’s our TLI for Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020…
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ARIZONA SUPREMACY
O’Connor High and Pinnacle High of Phoenix, AZ, have been battling for Arizona supremacy in recent years and it looks like the two schools will be in the hunt for the AIA 6A state championship once again this year.
If O’Connor is to repeat as state champions, the Eagles will need uncommitted 2020 RHP Danielle Wilson to have another great year.
Pinnacle beat O’Connor twice in the regular season, but Wilson went 13-0 with a 2.08 ERA and led the Eagles to a 6-4 victory over the Pioneers in the state championship game.
Pinnacle and O’Connor are ranked #10 and #11, respectively, in the nation in the Extra Elite Eighty High School Rankings, so the two schools figure to be locked in a deadlock battle for superiority in Arizona once again in 2020.
Let’s take a look at “Dwilly…”
HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: DANIELLE WILSON
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
High School: O’Connor High of Phoenix, AZ
Graduation Year: 2020
Height: 5-foot-5
Position: Pitcher
Nickname: Dwilly, Dan
Twitter: @Daniwilson22
High School Highlights: 1st Team All-Desert Valley in 2019, 1st Team All-6A Conference in 2019 and AIA 6A state champion in 2019.
Can you talk about last year’s run where your team lost to Pinnacle twice, but came back to beat the Pioneers for the 6A state championship?
Last year, we lost to Pinnacle, 10-5 and 12-3, twice in a row. It was a pretty bad loss both times, but it only made me want to come back harder with my team and beat them because we knew we could compete with them. It built a passionate fire between my team and I. We knew we would face Pinnacle again later on and we were ready to play against them and surprise them with the team we actually were.
Tell us about your high school team and what we should expect from your team this season?
This year, our team is stacked. We have a ton of top tier athletes and we’re all best friends. We all have the same goals and are focused on what we want to achieve. All I have to say is this season, especially being a senior, is one I will never forget. Definitely, watch out for O’Connor softball this year … we’re on a mission.
What have you learned about yourself in the past year?
This past year was definitely a year of growth for me personally. I learned I have a lot to offer. I found a confidence in myself that I could relay to my teammates as needed. During playoffs especially, I had to expand my mental toughness because I pitched every single game and it was not easy on my body. But that mental aspect of it is what pushed me through and helped me get to that championship game. It was truly a life-changing experience because I learned so much about myself in the process.
*** To read the rest of today’s The Last Inning, including what life event made Danielle Wilson grow up “very fast,” scroll down below…