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Flower Mound Marcus SS Haidyn Sokoloski
What she did: Sokoloski batted .462 with four RBIs as Marcus went 3-0 last week, including a two-game sweep of Prosper — the top-ranked team in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 6A area poll — in a bi-district playoff series.
Sokoloski was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, a triple and a home run while scoring three runs in a 13-3 win over Prosper on Thursday. In an 11-5 win over at Prosper on Friday she was 2-for 5 with a RBI and two runs scored. She was 1 for 4 with a RBI in a 7-0 win over arch-rival Flower Mound on Monday in a District 6-6A fourth-place tiebreaker, a win Marcus needed to make the playoffs.
Who she is: A 5-foot-11 senior shortstop. Sokoloski signed with Oklahoma State on Nov. 10, choosing the Cowgirls over Oklahoma and Texas A&M. She played for the U.S. National Under-17 Women’s Team and helped the U.S. win gold medals at the Pan American Games as part of under-17 and junior teams in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
The stats: Sokoloski has a .431 batting average with 35 RBIs. She has 13 doubles, three triples and seven home runs. She has scored 34 runs and has 10 stolen bases. Sokoloski has helped Marcus, ranked No. 9 in The News’ area poll, compile a 22-10-1 record heading into an area playoff series against Arlington Martin, which begins on Thursday.
She said it: “The best part of this week was when the moment we beat Prosper on Friday. On the field, the best part was how we were hitting consistently from 1 to 9. … I think the most important moment this season when I spoke up was our first game against Flower Mound ( a 4-3 Marcus win on March 9). I remember being in the huddle and telling the team we had to believe in ourselves. I felt like that was a turning point.”
Coach said it: “The plays this week that Haidyn made that I think were the biggest was two defensive plays against Flower Mound. She made two stops and each time it saved a run. … We had ups and downs in district and it would be Haidyn’s voice that led them through the tough times. I remember after we lost to Lewisville (2-1 on April 19). She let everybody know that we still had a chance to make the playoffs and they needed to give a little bit extra. I think everybody picked up their game.” — Christy Tumilty.
Did you know? Sokoloski started playing softball when she was eight years old, encouraged by her mother Kelly. Before then her interests were volleyball, soccer and the theater. She said she felt like her game went up another level when she was 12. … She plans on majoring in sports journalism and broadcasting. Her dream job is to be an on-the-field reporter for collegiate softball and baseball as well as covering those sports at the Olympic Games. … Sokoloski’s favorite courses in school are science, especially human anatomy, and English. … Her favorite meal is Tex-Mex food, especially chicken fajitas with chips and queso and a Shirley Temple. … Sokoloski’s favorite athlete is Oklahoma State senior softball shortstop Kiley Naomi. She said watched Naomi’s highlights on the bus ride home after beating Prosper on Friday.
Honorable mention
| Player | School | Class | Pos. | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ella Berlage | Prosper Rock Hill | Fr. | 2B | .667 BA, 4 RBI, 2B, HR as Rock Hill swept Frisco Lone Star 2-0 in a Class 5A bi-district series. |
| Isabella Bojkovic | Keller Timber Creek | So. | IF | .500 BA, 5 RBI, 2 2B, HR as Timber Creek swept Fort Worth Paschal 2-0 in a Class 6A bi-district playoff series. |
| Caitlyn Carrillo | Woodrow Wilson | Jr. | P | 10 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 19 K, .875 BA, 8 RBI, 2B, 3B, SB as Woodrow Wilson swept Lancaster in a Class 5A bi-district series. |
| Keeli Fuller | Aubrey | Fr. | IF | .667 BA, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored, 2 SB as Aubrey swept Midlothian Heritage 2-0 in a Class 4A bi-district series. |
| Meredith Henderson | Keller | Jr. | P | 12 2/3 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, 14 K, .286 BA, 2 RBI, HR as Keller swept Hurst L.D. Bell 2-0 in a Class 6A bi-district series. |
| Sami Hood | Allen | Sr. | SS | .500 BA, 5 RBI, 2B, 3B, HR, SB as Allen swept Coppell 2-0 in a Class 6A bi-district playoff series. |
| Brooklyn Morris | Mansfield Lake Ridge | Sr. | P | .667 BA, 5 RBI,- 2 2B, 5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.20 WHIP, 5 K as Lake Ridge swept Bryan 2-0 in a Class 6A bi-district playoff series. |
| Adriana Mountcastle | South Grand Prairie | Fr. | IF | .667 BA, 8 RBI, 3 2B, HR as South Grand Prairie swept Lake Highlands 2-0 in a Class 6A bi-district series. |
| Ainsley Pemberton | Rockwall | So. | P | 5 IP, one-hitter. 0.00 ERA, 0.20 ERA, 14 K in Rockwall’s 18-0 Rowlett in a Class 6A bi-district playoff on Thursday. |
| Cailey Slade | Forney | Fr. | P | 11 IP, 1.27 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 16 K, .571 BA, 6 RBI, HR, 2B as Forney swept Midlothian 2-0 in a Class 5A bi-district playoff series. |
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