By: Scott Bentley | Farmington Press | Published April 11, 2025
FARMINGTON HILLS — Farmington Hills Mercy softball is off to a fantastic start this season after being ranked as the No. 1 team in Michigan at the Division 1 level.
The Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association ranking co-chairs put together the list before the season started and determined that the favorite heading into the year was Mercy.
“The preseason ranking is great,” Mercy head coach Corey Burras said. “I think that comes down to all of the coaches just appreciating Mercy and the athletes we breed and the type of ball we play.”
The recognition from the coaches association comes after a semifinal loss against Hudsonville High last year. Hudsonville ended up winning the state tournament and didn’t allow a run in each of the team’s final two games.
“The expectation is obviously really high,” Mercy shortstop Charlie Lambert said. “We were ranked No. 1 last year and lost in the semis. … We’re using that not as a negative thing, but as fuel for this year.”
At press time, Mercy was ranked No. 1, with Hudsonville ranked No. 2. There’s a metaphorical target on Mercy’s back every time the team steps on the field, and the girls aren’t running from it.
“There’s a lot of pressure on us that we feel every single game,” Lambert said. “Obviously, we have an end goal, and that’s to make it to the state championship.”
A state championship is a very realistic goal for this squad. The team is not only unbelievably talented, but is well-rounded in a way that provides no glaring weaknesses for opponents to pounce on.
“We have great pitching, we have great batting, we have great positions across the field,” Burras said. “We have a great dugout, too.”
So far this season, the team has not disappointed. At press time, Mercy was 5-1 and handling all of the expectations being thrown the program’s way.
“It’s our mindset that it is an obligation to prepare,” Burras said. “We don’t have a game off. … We work on our intensity in every game, every play, and every practice.”
The motivation comes naturally to a team that’s full of seniors and returnees from last season. The leadership of the unit is guiding the youth in the right direction.
“The senior class, we’ve been through a lot of challenges,” Mercy catcher Evelyn Miller said. “So (we’re) really helping those underclassmen and guiding them through those standards.”
Lambert and Evelyn Miller are two pillars of the program. The duo have been impact players for four years and are looking to win, while also showing the next wave of talented players what those standards at Mercy look like.
“They are a great picture of Mercy softball,” Burras said. “They have bought in. … Their strengths are that they have a strong desire to build a legacy at Mercy.”
Standards and expectations go beyond the softball field as well. So much so that while everyone else is wondering where Mercy finishes on the field, the program itself is more focused on self-growth and leaving a mark on the school.
“When it comes to expectations, it’s not necessarily that we sit back and judge our season (based) on our record,” Burras said. “Softball is much more than that. … We’re going to make great citizens, and that’s really how we’re going to be judged.”
Don’t let the lack of talk about hoisting a trophy at the end of the year come across as a lack of passion. This team wants to win and wants to win badly, and it’s talented enough to beat anyone in the state.
“When we think about dogpiling at Michigan State… that’s just the feeling we’re all pushing for,” Miller said. “It’s what we’re working for every single time. It’s on our minds 24/7. … It’s just all so personal and emotional to all of us.”