Alana Lake Honors Late Brother With Playoff Home Run

Alana Lake Alana Lake MS was delivered devastating news the night before her high school team's playoff game in late April.

"We found out that my older brother accidentally shot himself and he passed away not too long after that," said the 2028 recruit from Terry, Mississippi. "We tried to go see him, but they had shut the hospital down and we couldn't."

Although she was in pain, Lake's family encouraged her to join her Terry High team for the playoff game as an outlet for her grief. She knew her brother would have wanted her to play in the game as well.

In the loss to Pearl River Central, Lake hit her first and only home run of the season. 

"That was dedicated to my brother," Lake said. "I wanted to do it for him."

Lake's friend, Addison Davis Addison Davis C/OF Pearl River Central | 2028 MS , was the catcher on the opposing team and uplifted Lake throughout the contest.

"At the end of the game, her team prayed over us. They gave us a heartfelt card," Lake said. "Getting to be there with them during that time, it really calmed me down and let me take my mind off things and just enjoy playing the game."

Lake, a three-time all-district selection who plays travel ball for Fury Platinum 16U Weeks, followed her mother and older sister into softball. She was attending one of her sister's practices, and the coach asked if she wanted to play. Lake started out as a pitcher, and has since expanded her game to become a middle infielder. 

This past high school season, she batted .417 with 31 stolen bases.

"I feel like when I get on the basepath, I have a little bit of speed so I am stealing bases," she said. "I am more of a contact hitter and put the ball in play. But I am hitting more runs (in) every day. I'm getting there."

Lake has endured some mental hurdles on the field that she's tried to overcome.

"I've had a hard time believing in all of my skills," Lake said. "But when you take a step back and realize it's just a game and you are meant to have fun, that really helps to calm me down and trust my skills more because of all the work I put in to get there."

Outside of softball, Lake is learning sign language and enjoys baking. She has been crocheting since the seventh grade.

"When I first started, I made a lot of stuffed animals for all the kids," Lake said. "But now I'm getting into more clothing and you can express yourself through all the things you make."

Lake is grateful for the support her parents, Teri and Albert, have provided over the years to allow her to play softball.

"They've done so much for me. The financial sacrifices they make with having three kids who all have played sports, making the multi-hour long trips, being in the stands cheering me on," she said. "Of course we've had our arguments, but they truly believe I can make it to where I want to be."

Like most young players, Lake dreams of playing college softball at the NCAA Division I level. But as she began considering all her options, Lake realized there were other paths that may make more sense for her.

"I am thinking Co-Lin Community College right now," said Lake, who wants to major in Kinesiology and become an occupational therapist. "But if a bigger school recruits me that I really want to go to, I'll definitely take a look at that. I just really want to go to school and try to make a good career."