Lake Creek Takes Perfect Record Into Softball Playoffs

MONTGOMERY, TX — After a bi-district playoff exit in its first season competing in softball in 2019, Lake Creek felt it had a team that could make some noise in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the UIL to cancel the season.

The third-ranked Lions built on that promise in a big way this season and sprinted into the playoffs with a sparkling 32-0 record.

The dominance goes beyond the record. Lake Creek has outscored its opponents 308-17 and allowed just one run in 14 District 20-5A games. The Lions pitched 17 shutouts in their last 19 games.

They've notched 131 extra-base hits, including 44 home runs, and each of the first eight hitters in the Lions' typical starting lineup has at least one homer this season. The Lions have been active on the base paths as well, swiping 138 bases while getting caught stealing just 12 times.

"We've got power. We've got speed, and we utilize it all," Lake Creek head coach Michelle Rochinski said. "I've never had a team like this before. Even my slappers with speed, they're hitting it out, so we use it all because we have the capability of doing that. It's a different type of ball."

The pitching has been even better as Lake Creek has a team ERA of 0.44 and is holding opponents to a .091 batting average. Senior ace Emiley Kennedy (14-0, three saves), who has signed with Texas A&M, has a pristine 0.00 ERA in 77 2/3 innings pitched, has held opponents to a .065 average and has struck out 156 of the 274 batters she's faced, a strikeout rate of 56.9 percent.

While the ace designation primarily applies to a team's top starting pitcher, Lake Creek has three that pitch at that level. Sophomore Ava Brown (13-0) and junior Brenna Kelly (5-0) both have sub-1.00 ERAs. Brown is used primarily as a starter, while Kelly, who has nine saves, shuts the door on opponents at the end of games.

Like most high school softball teams, missing out on the 2020 season made the Lions even more eager to start the 2021 season and show what they could accomplish, Rochinski said. The program had plenty of confidence coming into the year, but an undefeated regular season wasn't on anyone's radar, especially since the Lions have only three seniors and seven sophomores, most of whom are significant contributors.

The young players grew up quickly, though, as Brown, sophomore shortstop Maddie McKee and sophomore catcher Kalee Rochinski arguably are some of the Lions' best hitters.

Brown leads in the team in home runs (12), doubles (18), runs batted in (50), on-base percentage (.646) and slugging percentage (1.270). McKee, who has hit five homers this season, also gets on base in over 60 percent of her at-bats and routinely races around the bases as she has a team-high 55 stolen bases on 58 attempts. Rochinski, who also is a defensive stalwart at catcher with just one error all season (.997 fielding percentage), has a .500 on-base percentage and four home runs.

The success of the sophomores along with a strong group of juniors - Caelee Clark (.592 OBP, 20 SBs, 35 RBIs), Madelyn Lopez (.563 OBP, .900 SLG, 39 RBIs) and Kelly - propelled the Lions to the brink of a special season.

"It's a family," Michelle Rochinski said. "The senior leadership has taken in those younger ones, and those younger ones have built off what those older kids have done."

The Lions' playoff run begins with a three-game bi-district series against Magnolia this weekend. Game 1 is at 6 p.m. Thursday at Lake Creek with Game 2 scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at Magnolia. A third game, if necessary, will be at noon Saturday at Lake Creek.

While Lake Creek doesn't have much playoff experience, the Lions believe they have a team that can make a deep run, even in a tough Region III that includes No. 2 Barbers Hill, No. 5 Santa Fe and No. 8 Richmond Foster. Rochinski said the important thing for her team to take to heart during the playoffs is to not get down when adversity hits and to not look past the next game.

"They have a goal in mind, and I think they know they have a chance to achieve it," Rochinski said. "If we were to lose a ballgame in a series, we also have to look at it like it's not over yet.

"Anybody can be beat on any given day, so we have to go out and play Lake Creek softball like we have all year and build on that."