If there’s one thing that Houston High School senior Katy Evans enjoys in life, it’s swinging an aluminum bat and making hard contact with a softball.
Evans’ passion for hitting came to full fruition during the 2025 season, as she put on an unprecedented long-ball show highlighted by belting a single-season school record 9 home runs. In addition, 24 of her 38 hits during the campaign went for extra bases (including 13 doubles and 2 triples), as she compiled a team-high .528 batting average and a 1.139 slugging percentage while driving in 40 runs and scoring 38.
Before and as I step into the box, I just repeat ‘see ball, hit ball, hit ball hard. It’s kind of dumb, but it works. If I’m not repeating that in my head, it’s probably just some random song from ‘Pitch Perfect’ or ‘Hamilton.’”
Katy Evans
Evans’ performance at the plate as a sophomore in 2024 shed light on where she was headed, as she helped the Lady Tigers win a third consecutive district championship by smacking 4 homers during that season and batting .468. She has played mostly at second base on defense for Houston, but is a true utility player and has played every position on the field during her softball career.
Evans has for years worked hard in the “offseason” by playing against top-tier competition in travel ball (including this summer). Her parents, Brad and Melanie Evans, have helped guide her on her softball path.
“Katy just decided one day, when she was about 8, that she wanted to try softball,” Brad said. “She instantly loved it.”
After playing for a couple of years recreationally she decided she wanted to get better because she really liked the sport, so her parents helped her attend a few camps, including one at Missouri S&T in Rolla.
“She was improving quite a bit at this point, and there was a travel coach there with her daughter,” Brad said. “She approached us and asked if Katy would be interested in trying out for travel ball. We talked to Katy about it, and she wanted to go to the tryout. Well, she made that team and it was great for her because she is a quiet girl and made so many new friends, many of them we are still close with today.”
Evans spent three years playing in Rolla for Superior Fastpitch. She then decided she wanted to challenge herself and play at a higher level. She tried out for several teams in the Springfield area and after receiving multiple offers, she decided to join Powerhouse, who she still plays for and will for two more years.
“There wasn’t really a single moment that I knew softball was ‘my thing,’ Evans said. “I was just always wanting to practice and play. Once I got into travel ball, I began to improve so much. I would often start missing out on birthday parties or sleepovers by choice to go to a practice or a tournament. That was around the time I decided how committed I was to this sport.
“At the end of each season, my parents would ask me and make sure this was still something I wanted to do, and there was never any hesitation in my answer. Though I missed out on fun, looking back, I’ve never had any regrets.”
Evans topped off her stellar junior season by belting two 2-run homers in a district tournament game against Ava. She loves spending time swinging the bat.
“As far as Katy’s softball work ethic, it’s unreal,” Brad said. “She used to spend hours in the yard or garage – when it was cold – hitting off a tee into a net. She still spends several hours a week by herself hitting at the Piney River Sports Complex.
“I never dreamed Katy would find a sport that she cares so much about and that she works so hard at on a consistent basis.”
Evans’ mental approach is one of her primary weapons, Brad said.
“Her greatest ability is that she shows zero emotion on the field; she is all business,” he said. “If she makes an error or strikes out, she doesn’t get down on herself and just moves on. She is always able to forget the last play and move on. Her softball IQ is also as high as anyone I know. She is a smart girl, and that has carried over to the softball field.
“We are so proud of her accomplishments and the hard work that she has put into softball over the years.”
After receiving several offers to play at the college level, Evans recently verbally committed to playing at East Central College in Union, Missouri. She’ll join former teammate and fellow slugger Makinley Aaron, who graduated from Houston in May after batting .518 and smashing 7 home runs in the 2025 season.
“If you had told me several years ago that Katy would have the opportunity to play softball in college, I would have thought you were crazy,” Brad said. “She has put in so much work; she has earned that chance.”
“I was never one of the ‘good’ players when I was younger,” Evans said. “I was further behind in development than everyone else, and one of the worst. Because of this, I always felt I had to work harder. I’m actually very grateful for how bad I sucked back then because after all the success I’ve had now, I still work just as hard as I did when I was batting last out of 13 girls with a .050 batting average, and I still enjoy it.
“My parents and I joke that I’m a utility player because coaches never knew where to put me.”
Former HHS head coach Jim Moore (who’s now at Salem) coached Evans for three seasons and definitely took notice of her talent in the batter’s box.
“Katy has played a lot of softball,” Moore said. “She has seen fast pitchers and slow pitchers. What makes her different is her ability to adjust to whatever the speed of the pitch being thrown to her is. She does a great job of keeping her hands back on the pitch; this allows her not to be fooled very often. She has quick hands to the zone which allows her to be on time even when a pitch is being hurled at a high velocity.”
Moore said Evans is at her best when facing the best.
“I feel like she is an even better hitter when facing harder throwing pitchers,” he said. “That is evidenced by having 4 home runs this year off of the top two pitchers in the SCA and another home run off of Diamond’s pitcher, who happened to be this year’s state runner-up in Class 2.”
Like any good batter, Evans employs characteristics that can’t be coached, but simply come naturally.
“She sees the ball out of the pitcher’s hand really well,” Moore said. “She also has an understanding of how the pitcher is trying to pitch her to get her out. That gives her an advantage by knowing what to expect. She has put the work in to be a great hitter. There is no substitute for hard work. We have always known she is a very talented hitter.
“Honestly, I feel like she kind of flew under the radar for the first part of the season with other coaches not realizing how powerful she was. That changed half way through the year. She is definitely not a secret anymore and, in my opinion, she is one of the best – if not the best – hitters in the area returning as a senior. She is going to have a huge year.”
There was a time when hitting homers didn’t cross Evans’ mind much. Now she can often tell when she’s hit one.
“Most of the time, I’m just glad I don’t have to actually run the bases,” Evans said. “Some home runs I can feel right off the bat, others are a surprise as I’m rounding first. I just think it’s crazy how if you would’ve told 11-year-old me that I would even hit a single home run in my lifetime, I would have laughed in your face.”
In all likelihood, Evans is far from done sending softballs over fences. When she finally is, she intends to remain around softball.
“I just want to continue playing and getting better without losing my love for this sport,” she said. “When my time on the field is done, I’d like to still stay involved, whether that be a coaching role or through lessons.”