The Hillsborough Community College Softball team has had a spectacular season thus far posting a 37-20, 11-5. One key to this excellent year has been All-American Pitcher Laura Downs returning. Laura assisted the Lady Hawks to a Suncoast Conference Championship with a stout pitching performance this spring. With a strong and resilient pitching bloodline it is no wonder she has had such great success.

  Laura Downs played high school Softball at Park Vista Community High School in Lake Worth Florida just North of West Palm Beach Florida. Since she was five she has been playing the sport and her career at Hillsborough Community College has had certain parallels with another ball player in her family who was making strides in the Major Leagues. Laura’s older brother Darin Downs is a relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and began his career in the Majors at the end of 2012 when he was called up.

  While Darin was starting his career in the big leagues. Laura was being named a 2011-2012 Third Team NJCAA All-American: when asked about her All-American status Laura said, “It was a really big accomplishment because I was a freshman. I didn’t expect to come in and get as much playing time as I did, so I worked hard because I wanted to play and eventually I started a lot of games then my numbers started adding up.” She went on to say, “at the end of the season my coach told me I was an All-American and I was like ‘No Way!”

  Both play for successful teams with Darin playing for the defending American League Champions and posting a 2 to 1 win-loss record in 2012 and has pitched 8.1 innings and participated in seven games, so far this season. This season Laura led her team to the conference title while posting a the fifth best win total in the NJCAA with 24, the 17th best earned run average with 1.18, and seventh most strikeouts with 206. She has been very proud of her teams and her own individual success. “I knew once the season started that we had a really good team. You could tell. The people that were brought in I knew they were going to be good and we have a team that is going to go far in states, and hopefully nationals.”

  Even their difficulties and injuries they have had to overcome in similar fashion. Darin overcame a nearly fatal concussion in 2009 to return and achieve his dream of being in the majors. Laura explained that the proudest moment in her softball to this point and time in her career at HCC was this year when she came back from an injury “At the beginning of the year I broke my foot. I was worried about how I would come back this year, but I came back strong and during conference I felt I was pitching very well. I shut out Manatee two times in a row and their one of the top teams in the nation. “

  Laura had committed Palm Beach Atlantic, but has since decided to weigh her options. She acknowledged that her time at Hillsborough Community College has been tremendous for her. “I’m really glad I came to HCC it really helps me out for the future. It definitely wasn’t a mistake.” She plans on becoming a physician after college is all said and done. “The whole medical thing comes easy to me, I’ve always done well in those classes and I like being around people.”

  Laura makes an effort to see her brother play as much as possible. “I went to his spring training games when the team was in Lakeland. It is difficult because he plays in Detroit and I’m here but I try to see him play when I can.” She is dedicated to her craft noting, “I throw every day for about forty-five minutes, so I’m definitely working hard on that.”

  Darin will try and make an impact for Detroit this summer, and help the Tigers get back to the World Series in the fall. Yet with the success that the Lady Hawks have had so far this season and being one of the teams that is a favorite to win the state tournament. As far as this spring, it is definately Laura’s time.