Tucson Desert Christian softball's Alexa Yarger among top hitters in nation

Nestled within the heart of Tucson stands Desert Christian High School, a small institution boasting a student-body of 385. And among Desert Christian athletics lies its softball team, ranked sixth in 1A.

Despite its lesser-known status, Desert Christian softball claims one of the nation's top high school softball sluggers in Alexa Yarger, a sophomore who not only leads but often contends for the top spot in multiple AIA statistics statewide, regardless of conference.

She ranks second in the entire nation in slugging percentage (1.954), according to MaxPreps. In addition, she ranks first statewide in batting average (.758) and on-base percentage (.802), second in runs batted in (54) and third in home runs (15) en route to leading Desert Christian to an 11-2 record.

Although she displays excellence at the plate, Yarger enjoys spending time working on her defense. It's something she's focused on ever since she picked up a softball at a young age.

"I definitely focus on the little things," Yarger said. "Defense is my passion, I love to work on defense and just like honing in on certain skills that will help me get better."

A native of Tucson, Yarger got her start in softball by playing baseball with her two older brothers. She ultimately learned the basics of baseball before transitioning to softball, falling in love with the game and dedicating her childhood to perfecting her craft.

Yarger comes from a background of stick and ball play. Her mother played softball in high school while her father played baseball growing up. She's spent numerous hours working on her abilities, whether it was in her garage, in the neighborhood's cul de sac, or out on the diamond.

"I think really that's what motivates her is just to continue doing something she loves and to learn how to just be a great leader with this platform," said Leah Yarger, Alexis's mother and Desert Christian softball assistant coach. "She really fits in well. She's been able to lead and just share her skills and her experiences with the girls and they've all responded really well."

For Yarger, valuing the friendships and relationships she's made at Desert Christian is important. She cited her faith in God and recognizes that her gifts and talents are a blessing.

It's one reason she's looking into Grand Canyon and Baylor as possible university destinations and continuing her softball career. Arizona also is on her radar.

"My end goal is I want to play in college," Yarger said. "I just keep working so that one day I can get there. And I know if I put in the work then it's definitely a possibility."

To get their attention, Yarger has created an X account where she posts highlights and updates from the team's season, hoping to draw recruiter attention. She tags Baylor and GCU specifically. She's also developed a relationship with Arizona softball assistant coach Josh Bloomer through numerous camps.

In the meantime, the focus is on finishing out the season strong. Desert Christian, currently third in 1A South, trails St. David (8-1) and San Manuel (7-1), the only two teams that have handed Desert Christian losses this season. Her team will face both again this week, St. David Friday and San Manuel Saturday.

"We have a tough week ahead," Desert Christian head coach Simon Crawford said. "We play the number one and number two team in our region coming up. We had a meeting a while back and asked how we wanted to finish. They all said that they just wanted to be number one at the end. And so that's what we're working towards, trying to keep their heads focused and keep their energy up, then continue to practice hard and ready to compete."

Offense won't be an issue, as the Eagles have scored more than 20 runs in five of their contests this year. Crawford's three keys to hitting are: Repetition, repetition and repetition.

"I would say that Alexis is probably in the top 5 to 10% nationally in terms of her ability, and that sets her apart," Crawford said. "She has a unique ability to relate to the other girls and to be a great leader and a great teammate. She's an amazing player, but she's not immune to failing. And when she does, she just picks herself right up and she continues on. That to me, that failure recovery, is a big part of softball and she does a great job with that.

"I really look forward to seeing where she ends up at college and how she's going to use that as a platform."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tucson desert Christian's Alexa Yarger fuels softball team