PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Shelbie Hughes, Trinity

Sport: Softball

Class: Junior

Position: Pitcher

Her story: Many women of the Hughes family have played softball, and at age 5, Shelbie followed suit. In her third year with the Lady Trojans varsity program, Hughes is the lone returner from a year ago. The Lady Trojans are having a tough season, but Hughes hasn't let that get her down or keep her from playing the sport she loves. She credits her father for helping her improve and says nothing feels better than playing softball. “There's nothing that feels better than getting that winning run or that last out,” she said. Her favorite player is former Olympian and University of Texas standout Cat Osterman, and Hughes hopes to one day play at the next level. She has also played select ball and recalls as her greatest softball moment a game in the eighth grade when she hit her first home run for the North Texas Bandits. Despite some rough times on the hill this season, she continues to impress from the plate, where she's batting .537, has an on-base percentage of .604 and is slugging .902. She has 10 extra-base hits, which includes two home runs and seven doubles.

Fun fact: After she hit her first career home run at Trinity her freshman year, she tripped over first base while rounding the diamond.

She said: “We're a young team, but next year should be better because we've gotten to know each other and we'll have an offseason together.”

Coach Cori Trevino said: “Shelbie has meant everything to this team. She is our only returning varsity athlete after 10 seniors graduated last year. We are a very young team and she's leading the team in all offensive categories.”

- Brian Gosset, bgosset@star-telegram.com

This story was originally published April 20, 2015 at 11:54 AM with the headline "PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Shelbie Hughes, Trinity."