For Webb City senior Lily Hall, softball has always been about more than the wins and losses — it’s about family, friendship, and faith. “My favorite part of being a student-athlete at Webb City is being part of the team,” Hall said. “I’ve made so many lifelong friends and memories. We always help each other with our schoolwork and just to get through high school together.”

A twelfth grader who loves science and history, Hall has been swinging a bat since she was just five years old. Now one of the team’s most reliable infielders, she splits her time between second base and shortstop, where her quick reflexes and leadership help anchor the Cardinals’ defense. “If I could play any other position on the field, it would be first base or pitcher,” she added.

When it comes to competition, Hall doesn’t hesitate about which matchup she circles on the calendar every year. “Neosho High School,” she said. “That’s the one I look forward to playing most.” Rivalries aside, her love for the game shines through every time she steps into the batter’s box. “I pray before I go up to bat just for peace and knowing that in the end it’s just a game,” she said. “I’ve been blessed with the ability to play. I think about getting my job done — whatever it is the team needs me to do. My goal is just to see the ball where it’s pitched and react and hit it hard.”

Hall’s appreciation for her teammates is clear. “Everyone on the team is really funny. We are always laughing,” she said. “But if I had to pick, I’d say Abby Sargent keeps everyone laughing, and Liz Rhuems is the most serious. Avery Allen is definitely the loudest in the dugout — she’s always rooting for everyone.”

While softball has shaped much of her life, one person has shaped the way she plays — and lives — more than anyone else. “Ben Burns has been my travel ball coach since I’ve started,” she said. “He’s taught me not only how to play the game but how to be a good person. How to be a better daughter, sister, and friend. He’s always believed in me even when I doubted myself.”

After graduation, Hall will take her talents to the next level. “I’m going to play softball at State Fair Community College and get a degree in marine biology,” she said — a fitting next chapter for a player whose heart, like the ocean she plans to study, runs deep.