The Secret Behind the Success of LSU-Bound Presleigh Pilon

One of the top 20-rated players in the 2020 class, Presleigh Pilon is a skilled middle infielder from Murrieta, California who has a special accomplishment on her resume that very few, if any, her age can brag about: she’s hit a home run off arguably the top international team in the world—Team Japan.

It happened last Friday in a pair of scrimmages between her club team, Athletics-Mercado, and the visitors from Japan who travelled to the United States to compete in the Mary Nutter Classic.

Here’s more on the accomplishment by Pilon, who accounted for the only runs scored off the visitors.

Possessing lightning-quick hands allowing her to turn double plays that most defenders could only dream of attempting, Presleigh is also a dangerous line-drive hitter who made an immediate splash on the high school scene in Southern California when she helped lead her Murietta Mesa High team to a CIF Div. III title by batting .447 with an on-base percentage of .514 last year.

Having played and trained with noted club coaches Dave Mercado and Rob Baca for seven years, her skills on both sides of the ledge were such that she had strong interest from heavyweights like Oklahoma, Alabama, Oregon, Michigan, Florida and many others before she committed to LSU.

Extra Inning Softball caught up with Presleigh recently to learn what’s made her so successful on the field and what she likes to do to unwind off of it… her answers may surprise you (hint: she can probably bench press more than you can)!

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Whenever we talk to coaches and scouts about you, one of the first things mentioned is your unbelievable work ethic and burning desire to get better… talk about your training regiment, it has to be one of the most hard-core of any softball player in the country!
Honestly, it’s something I can’t explain… I just love it, it’s like a hobby. Even if I wasn’t in softball, I would work out four times a day! I love to hit new PRs (personal records), I like the conditioning part and I like the squatting and benching parts of conditioning.

When I’m not in high school, I’ll lift four or five times per week. My best back squat is 210 pounds, my top deadlift is 250 pounds and my best bench is 115 pounds. I don’t do overhead lifts because of shoulder injury concerns.

Walk us through a typical week for your in working out…
Monday I go to school super early and after practice we do conditioning and then I do powerlifting and do Victory conditioning, a lot of strength lifting to stay healthy. After that, I’ll work on fielding at practice until it’s super late, about 2 ½ hours.

On Tuesdays I have practice after school and then work for Coach Dave for five hours. I pitch to the girls and then get a hitting lesson and give multiple lessons.

Wednesdays, after practice I go work out and do powerlifting for about an hour, then run to a Victory workout and then after that we do team building and do a team practice.

Thursdays after practice I go do a workout, my powerlifting for about two hours, and then go to Coach Baca for a hitting lesson.

Fridays are usually my day off, I come home and work out powerlifting for two hours.

Saturday and Sundays usually team practices and/or games so I usually don’t lift. 

There used to be the wives; tale that lifting weights made an athlete stiffer and less fluid… how has lifting helped you as a softball player?
I’ve been super small my whole life, although I’m 5-foot-7 now, and playing up at 18U—now at 16U—I’ve found that lifting has helped my tremendously in my power for hitting. Defensively, my arm was a weakness, but now it’s so much stronger because of lifting.

What motivates you to work as hard as you do?
As of right now, it’s just because I’m going to LSU. That is making me work extra hard and I’m really excited, but I’ve just always loved to work out.

Is there any worry that you might overtrain and not allow your body to refresh or heal up as needed?
No, I’ve never worried about injuries. Even if I have an off day, I still go to where I can push myself but not to the point where I get hurt.

Playing for the A’s, you’ve had a lot of success including winning National Championships… looking back over your career to this point, what’s been a highlight or two?
I’ve made so many memories, I’d say definitely our Texas trips, they have so much fun. Winning two national championships were obviously highlights of my life, in 2014 and 2016. We came in second place last year and we are so motivated as a team now. We’re going to be ready this year!

You’re played for Dave Mercado and Rob Baca for eight years, Dave as a hitting  coach and Rob with fielding… what’s that experience been like?
It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve had the exact same coaches for years, but they still push us to train hard and be our best. I’m comfortable with them, but they still push us and we’re close enough where I’ll say stuff, joking all the time, but I never do it in games.

You’re a future LSU Tiger… what was it about Coach Beth Torina and the program that enticed you to leave So Cal?
Well, SEC is a place I’ve dreamed of, but I was extremely open with a bunch of schools. I visited several and when stepped on the LSU campus and met the coaches I knew it was a place I wanted to be at. As soon as I met them I knew they were genuine people—they had children running around and they were so cute! I absolutely love them and can’t wait to be there. When I came home, I knew I could see myself there in my heart. 

What did the LSU coaches say most impressed them about you that earned you an SEC scholarship?
They said they liked my quick hands. My fielding was really on when they first saw me and they saw that my power in hitting was coming along. I tell them my home runs are coming. They see me playing second when I get there.

We hear there’s one thing you love to do to recharge your batteries when not practicing, working out or playing… talk about your love for travelling, especially cruises!
I love traveling! I also love good food. Cruising is great because we get to hang out with family. It clears my mind and refreshes me, stuff like our last cruise where we ziplined over the ocean, over a beach in Haiti and in jungles in Mexico.  I swam with dolphins in Mexico when I was younger. On every cruise we snorkel and I’ve done that in the Bahamas and the Caribbean Islands. We can eat at any point, the food is my favorite… especially the ice cream!

What do you see yourself doing once softball ends on the playing field for you?
I want to be a coach. I can totally see myself as a coach or a teacher.

Finally, what’s one thing people don’t know about your or would be surprised to learn about you?
Maybe that when I have time off I love to go out with my younger sister, Kenzie, who is at the 10U level and help their team as I’ve been through it and they do it the exact way we do at the older levels. I love helping them out mainly because I was in that exact position and I know what they need to do to be successful.

We run the exact same model and I know how Coach Dave wants it done. I get to teach them the plays—we have the exact same plays—and their team is definitely better than my team was when I was 10. It’s so much fun!