Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Hailey King, California softball

King hit a walk-off inside-the-park home run in the NCS playoffs.

NEW: PREP SPORTS MAILBAG

The Bay Area News Group is introducing a high school sports mailbag in May. Get your questions in as soon as possible. Our debut edition is an open forum. Got questions about spring sports playoffs, coaching changes, an early peek at football season, etc.? Send questions to highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com. Please include “mailbag” in the subject line.

California softball player Hailey King is the Bay Area News Group’s high school girls athlete of the week for May 15-20 after she received 45.06% of the vote at the 5 p.m. deadline Wednesday.

Archbishop Mitty softball player Mia Rodriguez (30.68%) placed second and St. Francis track and field athlete Sabrina Zanetto was third.

Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition.

King, a sophomore, walked California off against College Park with an inside-the-park home run in the NCS playoffs. “I could see by the trajectory that she had a shot of ending this game,” California coach Tony Bari told the Bay Area News Group afterward.

To nominate an athlete for next week’s poll, email highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com by Monday, May 29, at 11 a.m. Please include stats and team results.

We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps.com by coaches/team statisticians for consideration.

Winners are announced each Friday on the Mercury News & East Bay Times websites and, starting Sept. 30, in the print edition of the Mercury News and EB Times sports sections.

Past winners

May 8-13: Justine Valdivia, Wilcox softball

May 1-6: Kelsey Zhang, Saratoga swimming

April 24-29: Laila Wang, Archbishop Mitty badminton

April 17-22: Annelise Burgos, Mt. Eden softball

April 10-15: Gianna Tassio, Terra Nova softball

April 3-8: Aleena Helms, Amador Valley softball

March 27-April 1: Jasmine Whorely, Alameda softball

March 20-25: Sami Bianchi, Wilcox softball

March 13-18: Camryn Manning-Alarcon, Leigh softball

March 6-11: Jenna Balousek and Morgan Overton

Feb. 26-March 4: Ruiqi Liu, Menlo School basketball

Feb. 20-25: Michelle Tang, Mills basketball

Feb. 13-18: Mikayla Garcia, James Logan wrestling

Feb. 6-11: Alli Dioli, Half Moon Bay basketball

Jan. 30 to Feb. 4: Quinn Godfrey, Branham basketball

Jan. 13-28: India Bowles, Archbishop Riordan soccer

Jan. 16-21: Priscilla Quihuiz, San Jose soccer

Jan. 9-14: Trinity Chu, California basketball

Jan. 2-7: Tali Fa’i, Newark Memorial basketball

Dec. 12-17: Deanna Luna, James Lick soccer

Dec. 5-10: Sofia Bowes, San Ramon Valley basketball

Nov. 28 to Dec. 3: Kendall McClure, Heritage basketball

Nov. 21-26: Soo-Jin Berry, Clayton Valley Charter basketball

Nov. 14-19: Rachel Stephens, Los Gatos water polo

Nov. 7-12: Raquel Calderon, Mercy-Burlingame volleyball