Lakeside’s Ellie Lenz is the new DeKalb County fastpitch softball homerun king after hitting her 26th career home on Tuesday. She added two more against Dunwoody on Wednesday to make it 28 and the opportunity to build on it the rest of the season. (Courtesy Photo)
Senior Ellie Lenz put her name at the top of the all-time DeKalb homerun list on Tuesday with her 26th career homer as she rebounds from a broken ankle suffered at basketball practice last year.
Determined to play this season the senior went to the batting cage and hit one-legged to prepare for her final high school season and it has paid off thus far to the tune of 11 homers, 31 RBI, four doubles and two triples to go with her .532 batting average.
The record setting solo homerun to deep center in a tough 2-1 Region 4-5A loss to Chamblee at Lakeside put her atop the DeKalb list.
Lenz came back on Wednesday to add two more to her total with a two-run shot and a game-winning solo shot in a Region 4-5A contest at Dunwoody the Lady Vikings won 4-3. It was her fourth two-homer game of the season.
She hit the game winner in the top of the sixth with the score tied 3-3 going over the right center field fence to put Lakeside in the lead for good. Her two-run shot to left in the fourth inning gave the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
The homerun on Tuesday broke the record of 25 set by Tanderanna Conyers of Miller Grove in 2011-14 and tied by Shayla Smith of Stephenson (2012-15).
With the two dingers against Dunwoody, Lenz has 28 in her career and 11 for the season with several games to add to the total. Her 98 career RBI is tied for 14th in DeKalb history.
The 11 home runs this season puts her in a tie for second with Miller Grove’s LaTiya Lee (2019) and four behind Druid Hills’ Kayla Cato (2014) who holds the DeKalb season mark with 16.
Lenz gave hint of things to come in her first varsity at-bat as a freshman four years ago when she stepped to the plate and hit her first homerun in a game versus Dunwoody. She moved into the cleanup spot the next came and has not relinquished it since.
The senior is committed to play softball for Piedmont University following her career at Lakeside where she has played mostly first base while also seeing time at third and catcher.
Lakeside is now 13-3 on the season and 7-1 in region play, good for second place currently.