Senior pitcher and first baseman Paizley Battiest has helped anchor a Wright City softball program built on winning and family.
She said a few milestones stand out from her time in a Lady Lumberjack uniform. “Becoming district champions three times in a row in slow-pitch,” she said. The game, she added, has shaped who she is far beyond the diamond. “It has taught me how to work with others, encourage each other and how to be mentally and physically tough and ready for anything,” Battiest said.
In the classroom, one teacher and coach made a lasting impact. “My favorite teacher is Mr. Watson (coach Lonnie Watson) from my eighth-grade year,” she said. “Mr. Watson taught me to push myself to never give up and gave me the boost in confidence in my sport. He never once doubted me in big games and always helped me up even when I was down. Mr. Lonnie will forever be one of the main people I talk about when anyone ask who helped me get this far.”
Her biggest inspirations, though, come from home. “The people that inspire me are my dad, my uncles and my grandpa,” Battiest said. “They inspire me because they have been big ball players growing up and love the game themselves. Every time I mess up or want to get better, they’re always there to help me and lift me up. My grandpa unfortunately passed in October of 2024, but the advice he had given me I will always carry on and off the field.”
Battiest said teammate Lydia Sosa has also left a major impression. “She is a great athlete and teammate,” she said. “She has come so far since we have been playing together. That was in 12U softball to now, but her family also helped us become great ball players by giving us tips and correcting us during practices.”
She is quick to credit her support system. “I want to say thank you to my parents, my uncles and my grandpa for everything they have done for me since I picked up a glove and a ball, all the advice, the time, the attention and the sacrifices that was put into my career,” Battiest said. “I appreciate everything y’all have done for me and I love every one of y’all.”
