This season Lily LaVelle has been able to see the game of softball from a different perspective.
Not only is LaVelle a star player for Oklahoma City University, she is also the pitching coach for Edmond North High School. LaVelle, a sophomore from Bridge Creek, Okla., is this week’s Super Star of the Week for her dominating performance in the circle in three starts.
“After playing the game all these years, it’s nice to just sit down and watch the game and learn from the sitting-and-watching perspective,” LaVelle said. “It’s a totally different ballgame, definitely all mind games. It has helped me with my game and pitching here (at OCU).”
LaVelle went 3-0 with a 0.35 earned run average this past week, including a shutout victory against nationally-ranked St. Gregory’s. LaVelle also struck out 26 batters in 20 innings. For the season, she is 14-2 with a 0.73 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 95.1 innings of work.
“I thought I threw pretty well, dominating those hitters by knowing what they can and can’t hit,” LaVelle said of her performance last week. “It helped to have a great defense behind me because I didn’t strike everyone out.”
When LaVelle isn't pitching, she is solidifying the middle infield at second base. LaVelle is near the top of several offensive categories for the Stars inlcuding batting average (.417), home runs (7), RBIs (23), slugging percentage (.667) and runs (44).
The Stars are riding a 13-game winning streak and have moved back into the top 10 of the NAIA softball poll. LaVelle believes a big key to the teams’ success the past couple of weeks has been getting everyone healthy and playing together.
“We’re starting to play more as a unit,” LaVelle said. “Getting our No. 1 NAIA national player of the year (Amanda Howard) back has really helped. Having everyone in their starting positions for a couple of games has helped.”
To see this week's OCU Athletic Update featuring LaVelle, click here.
More on Lily:
Nickname: Lilster
Funniest person I know: Katie Proffitt
My obsession is: Chocolate
Which is best, Chipotle, Moe’s, or Qdoba: Chipotle
What I did last summer: Played softball and went to Italy
