Pace junior Jayden Heavener named a finalist for MaxPreps National Player of the Year
Already ranked as the top softball prospect in her class, Jayden Heavener has received more national acclaim.
The Pace junior pitcher and Louisiana State University commit was one of 15 players from across the country to be named a finalist for MaxPreps National Player of the Year on Wednesday.
"I am humbled just to be selected with these other amazing athletes," Heavener said in a tweet from her personal Twitter account.
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Heavener is one of two juniors to make the list. The other junior is also from Florida as Melbourne High School's Jasmine Francik is in the running for the honor.
Selected as the PNJ's Pitcher of the Year during her first two prep campaigns, Heavener has been even more dominant in year No. 3.
Thank you so much @MaxPreps for selecting me as a finalist for National Player of The Year! I am humbled just to be selected with these other amazing athletes. @softball_Pace @unity_json_ross @LSUsoftball @ExtraInningSB @LegacyLegendsS1 @PG_Softball @PGFnetwork @BrenttEads… https://t.co/sVbVBDEHWG
— Jayden Heavener (@JaydenHeavener) May 10, 2023
The Patriots junior star entered the week with a microscopic 0.07 ERA through 95 1/3 innings pitched. Opponents have a .061 batting average against her as she has posted 222 strikeouts to just 17 walks. Appearing in the circle in 18 games, she has tossed six no-hitters and three perfect games.
Heavener also has done plenty of damage at the plate, batting .465 with six home runs, 28 RBIs, six doubles and a 1.413 OPS. Those numbers rank her second on the team behind Florida State University commit Shelby McKenzie (.547 avg, 10 HR, 35 RBIs, 1.889 OPS)
Pace seeks its third-straight trip to state. The Patriots are the top seed in Region 1-6A and host No. 8 Niceville at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (850) 503-3828, on Twitter @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pace junior, LSU commit Jayden Heavener named a finalist for MaxPreps POY
