Cayla Drotar, if at all possible, is having perhaps her best high school campaign yet.

Last year’s South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year is having another banner season and don’t be surprised if the 2016 pitcher/infielder wins it again this year.

With one regular season game left before playoffs start May 1, the Hartsville High junior is 14-1 in the circle with 120 K’s in 75.2 innings and has a sterling 0.56 ERA. At the plate her stats might be even more impressive: a .621 batting average with 12 home runs and 55 RBI in 66 at-bats and 19 walks.

But huge accomplishments are nothing new for the South Carolina commit who plays club ball for the Lady Lightning Gold Team Miken program.

She’s been an All-State honoree three times—yes, even as a varsity starter in the 7^th grade!—and in 2013 helped Hartsville win the Class 3A state title  defeating National Gatorade Player of the Year Carley Hoover, now at LSU, and her team. That same year she was also named the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year.

So what makes Cayla so good? She throws in the 67 mph range and has not one, but two nasty change-ups.

And you know you’re pretty darn good when teams celebrate like they won the game when they manage to get on base and opposing batters put your name in their profiles bragging about getting a hit off of you!

Full Count had Cayla ranked No. 18 in the 2016 Hot 100 and time is starting to show that may be a tad too low… here’s more on the dual threat pitcher/hitter who just seems to get better each month.

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FullCountSoftball.com: You had an unusual injury at PGF last summer involving your back when you slid into a base… tell us what happened and how you rehabbed? You were out quite a while too, right?
Cayla Drotar: I had a very swollen and strained lower right back muscle that had been bothering me for awhile. I tried to play through it in high school ball and summer ball but it caught up with me at PGF Nationals and put me out when we were really playing good. I did a lot of physical therapy and a lot of ab workouts, because your core is your main spot you need to have for your back. I did that for about four months and I came back ready and much stronger. Honestly, I needed a break too and now I can use my legs more.

FCS: Obviously, you must be back to full health as you’re having another Player of the Year-type season! How do you approach high school ball versus club ball since there’s obviously a disparity in talent.
CD: I approach it the same way because when I play, I give a 110% every time. just because there is a difference in talent, doesn’t mean I slack off to go down to that level of talent.

FCS: Do you pitch and approach batters more differently in high school play? Or do you experiment or try different pitches more?
CD: I do not approach them differently, I approach them exactly like I would in a travel game so, yes, I use all of my pitches.

FCS: Since we saw you last at PGF Nationals, have you been working on any new pitches or refining what you have? Hear you’re up to 67 mph and have two nasty change-ups… what do you attribute to improving as a pitcher?
CD: Honestly, just refining every pitch, to make sure it is where it’s supposed to be. and yes, I’ve been working really hard this year to get speed and movement to work. I really want to go higher with my speed along with a lot of movement. Also have been working extremely hard on my change of speed pitches (change-up/off speed). Learned fast in 18U Gold ball years ago that change of speed is a must.

FCS: You’re also a dominating hitter, too… what would bring you the most joy: hitting a walk-off home run to win the game or throwing a no-hitter to win the game?
CD: This is a tough one but most definitely a no-hitter. It’s tough to go through a seven inning game and not allow a hit. I might be a good hitter also (not being conceited!) but I am known more for my pitching so that would definitely bring me a lot of joy. My team winning the game brings a lot of joy as well.

FCS: Your resume is amazing: All-State every year since the 7th grade, Gatorade POY last year, state title as an 8th grader… of all your accomplishments, which one are you most proud of and why?
CD: I’d have to go with Gatorade POY, because I really worked my tail off to get that for a long time. Can’t leave the State Championship out we won against Carley Hoover and Daniel High School. That was amazing as well and it took my whole team to do it.

FCS: Having committed to South Carolina in the eighth grade, what is your relationship with them like now… do you visit the campus a lot or do they keep in touch as much as when they were recruiting you? Must be nice to have a level of comfortability like that!
CD: I am still very close to my coaches; if I need to contact them, I just do it and they get back to me so really no difference since when I first committed. They are great coaches and I’m excited to be so close to playing at University of South Carolina. ‘It’s Great to be a GAMECOCK!’

FCS: OK, let’s go off the field for the final questions! You’re great in softball… what’s something you’d admit at being TERRIBLE at!
CD: Jumping. Oh my gosh, I’d love to play basketball, but I’d completely embarrass myself—my hops and jumps are no good. I’ll stick to striding off the mound.

FCS: If you had the opportunity, would you rather dress up nice to go out, in a cool dress, awesome shoes and looking killer… or would you be more comfortable being in sweats or jeans and a baggy shirt? In other words… what’s your style of choice!
CD: My style. is “norks” (Nike shorts) or sweats, a big t-shirt and tennis shoes or fill flops. I love being comfy, especially being a softball player, but don’t get me wrong— I do like to dress up every now and again!

FCS: Finally, if you had a friend from out of state fly in to your neck of South Carolina, what would you do to entertain him/her or to show them how cool it is where you’re from?
CD: Go mud bogging… oh that’s my favorite. Slinging some mud and getting sideways…

FCS: OK, I’m going to confess my ignorance… what is mud bogging?
CD: Mud bogging (also known as mud racing, mud running, mud drags, or mudding) is a form of off-road motorsport where the goal is to drive a vehicle/ATV through a pit of mud or a track. In the South we just find some mud in fields and try to drive through it and not get stuck. I do most mud bogging on four wheelers.