Below are award winners and all-area selections for the 2022 softball season...
More: The Dallas Morning News 2022 softball Player of the Year: Lake Ridge’s Tia Warsop
Offensive player of the year
Sami Hood, SS, Allen, Sr.
The Wichita State signee set a new Dallas-area single-season home run record by hitting 20. Hood broke the record of 19 home runs that had been set by Wylie’s Mary Stephens in 2011. Hood hit 31 home runs over her final two seasons at Allen. The District 5-6A MVP finished this season hitting .477 with 64 RBIs, 55 runs, 51 hits, 12 doubles, four triples and 32 stolen bases in 32 attempts as Allen reached the 6A Region I quarterfinals. Hood, who had a 1.224 slugging percentage, didn’t have an official at-bat in the regional quarterfinal loss against South Grand Prairie because SGP walked her all eight times she came up to bat.
Pitcher of the year
Jensin Hall, Frisco Heritage, Jr.
The Dartmouth pledge was the District 9-5A MVP after going 27-2 with a 0.75 ERA and an area-leading 336 strikeouts in 158 innings. She averaged 14.9 strikeouts per seven innings and pitched 17 shutouts for a team that finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the area in 5A and went on to reach the third round of the playoffs. Hall had 18 games with 10 or more strikeouts, including a season-high 18 against Frisco Wakeland and two other games with 17. She hit .416 and had a .563 on-base percentage to go with three home runs.
Newcomer of the year
Ella Berlage, 3B/SS, Prosper Rock Hill, Fr.
The freshman hit .417 and had a .531 on-base percentage and .787 slugging percentage as Prosper Rock Hill reached the Class 5A state semifinals in the school’s second year of existence. Berlage led a 33-10 Rock Hill team in doubles (19), home runs (five) and RBIs (46) while walking 21 times and striking out only nine times. Berlage hit .457 with eight runs and 13 RBIs in 11 playoff games. She was 2 for 4 in an 8-2 state semifinal loss to undefeated Montgomery Lake Creek, the nation’s No. 2-ranked team that went on to win the 5A state title.
Coach of the year
Bobbi Cruff, Mansfield Lake Ridge
In her third year at Lake Ridge, Cruff led the team to a state runner-up finish in Class 6A, coming within three outs of a state title. Lake Ridge finished 32-7 and became the first Mansfield ISD softball team to ever reach the state tournament. Before coming to Lake Ridge, Cruff was the head coach at Crowley for 11 years and was at Killeen Harker Heights for six years (four as the head coach). Cruff was an outfielder at Stephen F. Austin in college and has played competitive slow-pitch softball as an adult.
First team pitchers
Faith Drissel
Flower Mound Marcus, Jr.
Drissel was 8-2 with a 1.84 ERA in the playoffs and finished 18-9 with a 2.48 ERA. She had 230 strikeouts in 175 innings. In the playoffs she had four games with nine or more strikeouts to lead Marcus to the Class 6A Region I final — its first regional final since 2013. She pitched a five-hit shutout and struck out nine to lead Marcus to a 7-0 win over Flower Mound in a tiebreaker game that determined the fourth and final playoff berth from District 6-6A.
Ainsley Pemberton
Rockwall, So.
The District 10-6A pitcher of the year was 22-4 with a 1.57 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 133 2/3 innings. She averaged 11.9 strikeouts per seven innings for a 28-6 team that finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the area. Pemberton was The Dallas Morning News newcomer of the year as a freshman, going 25-8 with a 1.96 ERA and 294 strikeouts in 200 innings in 2021.
Cassidy Fixico
South Grand Prairie, Jr.
She was 23-4 with a 2.10 ERA and 161 strikeouts for 6A Region I semifinalist South Grand Prairie. The District 8-6A MVP also had a superb season as a hitter, batting .511 with a .621 on-base percentage and .883 slugging percentage. She had 48 hits, 35 RBIs and scored 53 runs. She struck out only four times. In the second round of the playoffs she allowed a total of three runs in two wins over Lewisville, which was ranked No. 8 in the area.
First team infield
Elizabeth Moffitt
C, Prosper, Sr.
A year after being named The Dallas Morning News’ All-Area Player of the Year, the Texas Tech signee had another big season. Moffitt hit .412 with a .504 on-base percentage and .856 slugging percentage for a team that finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the area in 6A. Moffitt had 12 doubles, nine home runs, 45 RBIs and scored 31 runs for a 27-6-1 team.
Haidyn Sokoloski
Flower Mound Marcus, Sr.
The Oklahoma State signee hit .439 with 10 home runs, 44 RBIs, 51 runs, 17 doubles, five triples and 11 stolen bases to help Flower Mound Marcus come within one win of advancing to the state tournament for the first time since 2007. Sokoloski hit .478 with 22 runs, four home runs and 12 RBIs in 12 playoff games. Sokoloski, who played for the USA Softball Under-18 national team that won the 2021 Junior Pan American Games, is ranked as the 16th-best player in the country in the Class of 2022 by Extra Inning Softball. She was the District 6-6A co-defensive player of the year at shortstop.
Tori Edwards
Flower Mound Marcus, Jr.
The LSU pledge had an incredible postseason, hitting seven home runs and batting .455 with 12 RBIs in 12 playoff games. Edwards finished the season hitting .418, she ranked among the area home run leaders with 14, and she had 46 runs, 11 doubles and 39 RBIs. The District 6-6A co-offensive player of the year was walked 49 times in 43 games. Edwards is rated the 43rd-best player in the nation in the Class of 2023 by Extra Inning Softball.
Sydney Lewis
Prosper, Sr.
The Maryland signee is a first-team All-Area selection for the second year in a row. She hit 12 home runs, giving her 25 over the last two years. She had a .500 batting average to go with a .615 on-base percentage and 1.045 slugging percentage. She had a team-high 50 RBIs, scored 35 runs, walked 28 times in 34 games and saw 23 of her 44 hits go for extra bases. She struck out only four times.
Jenna Joyce
Royse City, Jr.
In her first year at Royse City after moving from California, Joyce led the Dallas area in RBIs, finishing with a school-record 68 to lead her team to the Class 5A Region II final. The District 13-5A offensive player of the year hit .505 and was among the area leaders in home runs with 13, which was also a school record. Joyce is ranked as the 153rd-best player in the nation in the Class of 2023 by Extra Inning Softball. She has received interest from a few Power 5 programs and has visited Texas Tech.
First team outfield
Maya Bland
Argyle, Jr.
Bland, who is committed to national champion Oklahoma, led Argyle to the Class 4A Region I final with a spectacular season. She hit .506, ranked second in the Dallas area with 16 home runs and had 61 RBIs and scored 59 runs. She also had an on-base percentage of .613, stole 22 bases and had a fielding percentage of .957.
Paris Johnson
Mansfield Lake Ridge, Jr.
The Texas Southern pledge hit .551 and had 76 hits, 68 runs and 48 stolen bases in 39 games as Lake Ridge finished as the Class 6A state runner-up. Johnson had 16 doubles and 43 RBIs to rank among the team leaders in both categories. In two games at the state tournament, Johnson was 3 for 7 with three runs, two RBIs and three stolen bases against defending state champion Deer Park and San Antonio O’Connor, which were ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in the nation by MaxPreps at the time.
Veronica Cully
Prosper Rock Hill, Jr.
The New Mexico pledge hit .421 with a .472 on-base percentage for 5A state semifinalist Rock Hill and was the District 10-5A offensive player of the year. She had a team-best 48 hits, scored 44 runs and stole 15 bases. She hit .394 and scored seven runs in the playoffs to lead Rock Hill to the first state tournament appearance for a Prosper ISD team since 2003.
First team utility
Madison “Dee” McClarity
Sachse, Sr.
The Texas Tech signee hit .575 with 51 RBIs, 43 runs, 25 walks, a .679 on-base percentage and a 1.275 slugging percentage. She hit 12 home runs for the second year in a row and hit four homers in a game against South Garland. McClarity was a first-team All-Area selection for the second straight year, was the District 9-6A MVP and had a pair of eight-RBI games. She had a hit in every game but two. She was also 9-4 with a 2.59 ERA as a pitcher. Last season, McClarity led the Dallas area with 78 RBIs while hitting .677 with 67 hits in 32 games.
Logan Halleman
Flower Mound, Jr.
The Texas Tech pledge, who played center field and second base, hit .568 and had 54 hits and scored 33 runs. She led the Dallas area in stolen bases in the regular season with 46. It’s the second straight first-team All-Area selection for Halleman, who hit .549 and stole 42 bases last year for a Flower Mound team that reached the 6A state semifinals.
Kassidy Chance
Mansfield Lake Ridge, So.
The sophomore shortstop might have been the MVP of the 6A state championship game if San Antonio O’Connor hadn’t rallied in the final inning to beat Lake Ridge 7-6. Chance went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs against the nation’s sixth-ranked team. For the season, Chance hit .504 with 61 hits, 18 doubles, six triples, 53 runs and a team-high 58 RBIs for a 32-7 team.
Second team
Pitchers
Lucy Crowder, Hebron, So.: 6-6A MVP, 23-8, 1.38 ERA, 204 strikeouts, only 31 walks for 6-6A champion, hit .333 with four HRs, 31 RBIs
Grace Berlage, Prosper Rock Hill, Sr.: Was 20-8, with a 1.44 ERA and 172 strikeouts in 150 1/3 innings, was 5-2 in the playoffs with a combined no-hitter and a one-hitter
Abigail Young, Justin Northwest, Jr.: Was 14-1 with 1.30 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 97 innings in regular season, averaged 10.5 strikeouts per 7 innings
Tamya Waiters, The Colony, Sr.: Florida A&M signee was 21-6, 1.99 ERA, 213 strikeouts in 172 innings for 5A Region II semifinalist
Cailey Slade, Forney, Fr.: 13-5A MVP was 27-7 with a 1.85 ERA, 241 strikeouts for 5A Region II semifinalist, hit .349 with four home runs
Infielders
India McMurray, Duncanville, Sr. (catcher): 11-6A offensive MVP hit school-record 12 home runs, .538 batting average, 43% of her hits were homers
Ayden Allen, Prosper, Sr.: Houston signee hit .450, team-high 50 hits to go with 22 extra-base hits (including 7 HRs), 48 runs
Gabby Coffey, Prosper, Sr.: Mississippi State signee hit .423, 11 home runs, 27 RBIs, was walked 26 times, had .527 on-base percentage, 1.026 slugging percentage
Elyse LeClair, Frisco Heritage, Sr.: 9-5A offensive MVP hit .551 with 37 RBIs, 35 runs, no strikeouts in 78 at-bats for 27-2 team
Isabella Bojkovic, Keller Timber Creek, So.: School record 12 home runs, hit .364 with 48 RBIs for 6A Region I semifinalist
Outfielders
DeNae Vasquez-Dickson, Colleyville Heritage, Jr.: 6-5A MVP hit .598, 67 hits, 56 runs, 32 stolen bases, 19 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 35 RBIs, 5 outfield assists
Adayah Wallace, Plano West, Jr.: Texas pledge hit .451, had 44 stolen bases, scored 36 runs, .500 on-base percentage
Roxy Thompson, Rockwall, Jr.: Lamar pledge hit .490, led Rockwall in hits (47) and RBIs (45), scored 43 runs, 18 stolen bases
Utility
Aubrey Brown, Wylie, Jr.: Lamar pledge hit .477 with 61 runs, 11 doubles, 7 triples, 28 steals for 6A Region II quarterfinalist, 9-6A defensive player of the year
Jasmyn Lloyd, South Grand Prairie, So.: Hit .385 with 10 home runs, 56 RBIs, 49 runs for 6A Region I semifinalist
Brooklyn Morris, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Sr.: Hit .460 with 58 hits, 22 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 57 RBIs and 33 runs for 6A state runner-up, 14-5 as a pitcher
Third team
Pitchers
Maddie Muller, Frisco Memorial, Sr.: 9-5A pitcher of the year was 20-8 with 1.09 ERA, 252 strikeouts in 153 innings, hit .318 with 20 RBIs
Alex Starr, Melissa, Fr.: 9-4A MVP, 22-5, 1.32 ERA, 250 strikeouts, 31 walks for 4A Region II finalist
Jacey Lees, Richland, So.: 6-5A pitcher of the year, 20-5, 1.57 ERA, 185 strikeouts in 160 1/3 innings
Ava Edwards, Argyle, Jr.: 7-4A MVP, 23-6, 1.36 ERA, 189 strikeouts in 154 innings for 4A Region I finalist
Infielders
Sydney Murphy, Wylie, So. (catcher): Hit .412 with 21 extra-base hits (including 8 home runs), 58 RBIs for one of area’s top-ranked 6A teams
Elizabeth Schaefer, Rockwall, Sr.: Abilene Christian signee hit .483 with five home runs, 38 RBIs, 34 runs for one of area’s premier 6A teams
Caigan Crabtree, Melissa, Fr.: Hit .516, 1.137 slugging percentage, 11 home runs, 52 RBIs, 20 doubles, 44 runs, only 4 errors
Sabrina Wick, The Colony, So.: Hit .514 with 56 hits, 44 runs, 19 extra-base hits, 36 stolen bases
Destan Burks, Red Oak, Fr.: 14-5A offensive MVP hit .462, 12 doubles, 9 home runs, 50 RBIs, 36 runs, had 9 RBIs in 8 playoff games
Outfielders
Olivia Wick, The Colony, Sr.: Hit .419 with 49 hits, 41 runs, 12 doubles, 13 steals for 5A Region II semifinalist
Ava Wallace, Rockwall, So.: Had team-best .494 batting average, tied for team lead with six home runs, had 40 RBIs
Emma Rodrigues, John Paul II, Sr.: Hit .468, 10 home runs, 39 RBIs, 47 runs, 37 stolen bases for TAPPS Division I state semifinalist
Utility
Faith Peterson, Bishop Lynch, Fr.: Hit .500, 40 hits, 8 triples, 29 runs for TAPPS Division I state runner-up
Paislie Allen, Lewisville, So.: Hit .477, 22 extra-base hits, 35 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, .841 slugging percentage
Kaiya Fabela, Keller, Fr.: Led 4-6A champion in batting average (.447), home runs (nine), RBIs (41) and doubles (9) while scoring 26 runs
Erin Peterson, Denton Guyer, So.: 5-6A offensive player of the year, hit .464, .580 on-base percentage, .725 slugging percentage
---
Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
