By Kyle Coppola
Tavares High Softball Senior Emmy Lee Posting Elite Numbers
TAVARES, Fla. — Few players have had as big of an impact on their team this season as Tavares High School’s Emersyn “Emmy” Lee. The talented pitcher and two-way player is putting together a stellar campaign, both in the circle and at the plate, helping lead the Bulldogs to a strong start to the season.
Through 26 innings pitched, Lee has been nearly unhittable. The senior ace has struck out 34 batters while surrendering just three earned runs, boasting a minuscule 0.81 ERA. Her ability to dominate opposing hitters has given Tavares a reliable force on the mound, making every game a challenge for opposing lineups.
(Emmy Lee winds up for a pitch. She has had a huge start to the 2025 high school softball season. Photo Credit – Tracey Hanson.)
Lee’s contributions extend beyond her pitching prowess. She’s proving to be a key asset at the plate as well, batting .333 on the season with four hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Her ability to provide offensive production on top of her elite pitching makes her one of the most complete players in the area.
Lee isn’t the only Bulldog making noise at the plate. Senior Jasmine Lawrence has been on fire, leading the team with a .571 batting average. Lawrence has racked up eight hits and six RBIs, consistently providing clutch at-bats for Tavares.
(Jasmine Lawrence is committed to University of Troy. Photo Credit – Nicole Hamel.)
Senior Olivia Padilla and junior Emma Pattee have also been key contributors, adding much-needed depth to the lineup. With a well-rounded offense and Lee leading the charge on the mound, Tavares is emerging as a serious contender this season.
Off the field, Lee continues to impress as well. Carrying a 4.8 weighted GPA, she balances academics and athletics with an impressive level of discipline. Her success in the classroom is a testament to her work ethic and commitment to excellence in all aspects of her life.
With Lee’s continued dominance and a strong supporting cast behind her, the Bulldogs are primed for a promising season. Tavares High has a pretty daunting schedule coming out of the spring break with games against MDCA, The Villages, Umatilla, South Lake, Lake Minneola and Eustis all on the cards.
Overall it’s been a strong start for this group but they will truly be tested in the weeks to come.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
