Lucy Cochran just keeps getting better and better
· Yahoo Sports
Lucy Cochran is perhaps the only person surprised by what she’s accomplished.
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Her father saw her potential at a very young age. Her coach, Josh Blythe, saw it when Cochran hit middle school. And now everyone else can see it plain as day.
The East Union pitcher has put together a remarkable career, and she’s still just a junior. Last month, Cochran led the Urchins to their fourth straight Class 2A state championship, which came on the heels of her winning a fourth straight 2A Miss Softball award. During the regular season, she hit two big career milestones: 100 wins and 1,000 strikeouts.
When Cochran won her first Miss Softball as an eighth grader, she “couldn’t believe it. And then I just wanted to achieve that every single time and try to be better than I was the year before.”
Somehow, Cochran keeps topping herself, and she has claimed yet another accolade: the 2026 Daily Journal Softball Player of the Year. This past season, she had a 24-2 record with a 0.82 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings. She also batted .470 with seven home runs and 54 RBIs.
During one 13-game stretch, Cochran pitched 53 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run.
“I really don’t even notice it,” she said. “I try to do my part for my team, and the outcome is how God wants it to be, whatever His will is for us and the team.”
That team-first attitude is what has defined the Urchins during their dynastic run. Most of them have been playing together since they were about 8 years old, so it’s hard to find a team with better chemistry. East Union isn’t so much a collection of players as it is a singular unit.
The dominance is easy to quantify: the Urchins outscored opponents 444-57 this past season. They made it look easy because they managed to keep their energy and focus at high levels.
“We really try to remind each other that we’re playing ultimately for God, and then really for each other, and we try to do our part for each other,” Cochran said. “Really just push ourselves. Trusting each other on the field and off the field and being best friends.”
The Urchins’ success is also due to them consistently putting in the work, and Cochran embodies that ethic as well as anyone. As good as she’s been, she’s always looking for ways to improve. Because there’s still some potential for her to tap into – a scary thought for the opposition. After winning her first Miss Softball award and state title four years ago, Cochran saw a world of possibilities open up.
“I didn’t think I was going to be playing high school ball when I was younger, and then I got the opportunity to be the starting pitcher,” she said. “I just wanted to get better and better every year.”