Haley Ellefson has done it all this year for Lafayette.

There’s no stopping Lafayette’s Haley Ellefson on the softball field.

She can hit. She can pitch.

She’s only a sophomore, but she already knows where she is going to college, and, of course, softball will be involved.

Ellefson has verbally committed to the University of South Carolina Upstate. She will play for the Spartans.

“I’ll be the first one in my family to be going to college,” Ellefson said. “I want to be a physical therapist.” 

She said she chose the school because of the surrounding area and the softball program.

“It’s a very good school,” Ellefson said. “They’re always number one in their class.”

Lafayette coach Tommy Chambers is happy to have the young phenom on his team. He is impressed with Ellefson’s skills on both offense and defense.

“She’s a very dominant pitcher,” Chambers said. “She leads the area in home runs with 11. It is comforting to know we can rely on her when we have to.”

Ellefson has guided the Lady Hornets to a 15-5 record this season. She pitched a complete game on Tuesday in a 6-2 win against Trenton. 

She has pitched all but 4 2/3 innings this season for Lafayette. She has a 2.69 ERA in 101.1 innings pitched, and has struck out 115 hitters.

At the plate, the sweet-swinging left-hander is hitting .603 with 34 RBI. She has already mashed 11 home runs this season. She finished her freshman year with four homers.

With five games left before the playoffs, the Lady Hornets are looking to continue their winning ways. They have won seven of their last 10 games.  

Lafayette lost a heartbreaker to Bell, 8-7, in the Regional Finals last year. Ellefson said she wants to work hard for this year’s senior class.

“There’s seven of them,” she said. “I push hard for all of them. I believe we can go far.”