ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla — High school softball is in full swing and Lake Brantley is off quick start. The 7A state runners-up from last year are lead by senior catcher Kiley Strott. 

She has been on the field since she was 6 years old, wanting to follow the footsteps from someone in her family.

"My brother played baseball so I started playing baseball, then I decided I wanted to turn to softball," said Strott.

She likes the competitiveness of the game because you have to earn your position. That position for her is catcher.

"I like I get the ball at every at bat and I get the chance to throw people out, throwing people out is probably my favorite part," she said.

That competitiveness has lead her an opportunity at the next level.

"I’ve signed to the University of Central Florida," said Strott. "Overall they felt like family and going into the Big 12 was just another addition to being committed there."

This year she is batting lead off, something that is new to her.

"At first it was kind of iffy, but I’m getting used to it now," said Strott.

"Kiley is a pure hitter — getting her to set the tone of the softball game for us is huge," said second-year Head Coach Jacob Stanley. "I feel nine times out of 10 Kiley is going to find a way to get on base, so knowing that I have that in a lead-off hitter, I wanted to take advantage of it."

The 2023 season is off to a good start and even in the losses, team members say they have gotten better each game with the end goal in mind.

"The endgame is to win a state championship — last year we got the to the state championship and lost," Strott said. "I think that it really motivates us because we want to be the team that wins the last game of the season, especially senior year I want to win the last game and so does the rest of the seniors."

This year’s state championship will be held in Clermont on May 22-27.