Payton Kennedy turned 18 on Friday, an event every teenager cherishes, but for her it also happened to be a game day, meaning any celebration had to be put on hold until victory was won.
“I walked into the team room and there was Starbucks in my cubby, gifts, and they sang me happy birthday,” the Santa Margarita senior said. “I love my teammates so much.”
The best present of all was one she gave herself by pitching four innings and adding two hits and two RBIs in host Santa Margarita’s 5-2 triumph over Mater Dei in its Trinity League softball opener.
Rated one of the best pitchers and hitters in Orange County, Kennedy has the numbers to back the hype. Through Friday she was 4-0 in the circle with 30 innings pitched to go with 16 hits, 19 RBIs, six home runs, a .457 batting average, a 1.000 slugging percentage and a 1.512 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.
She also plays first and third base, having been an All-Southern Section Division 1 selection as an infielder last year when she hit seven homers. Now a senior, her focus is on a section championship.
Kennedy is nicknamed “PayDay” for her penchant for producing in the clutch.
Santa Margarita’s Payton Kennedy connects with a pitch in a defeat of Mater Dei.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“That started way back in All-Stars when I was 6 years old,” she remembered. “My coach was [former NFL player] Mike Brown. I had a good day in rec ball and he said that and it just kind of stuck.”
Though she lives in San Clemente, Kennedy chose to go to Santa Margarita in large part to strengthen a bond she formed with girls who were teammates on youth teams.
“I’ve been playing with these nine seniors since we were all 10. … I’m so happy with my decision,” she said. “My four years here have been so special. We win together and we want to go as far as we can. This is our year to do it.”
Kennedy started her last season strong in February, blasting five homers while being named most valuable player at the Waimea Invitational in Hawaii, where Santa Margarita earned a share of first place. She cited that trip as her biggest thrill in the sport.
Next year Kennedy will take her talent to the Southeastern Conference, having signed with Mississippi to fulfill a childhood dream of playing NCAA softball.
“I wanted to play in a Division 1 Power Five [conference] and was considering some Pac-12 schools until they switched to the Big Ten,” Kennedy said. “California weather’s the best but I was open to other parts of the country too. I made official visits to Indiana, Iowa and Ole Miss in November. I liked the coaching staff, got to meet all the players and I’m excited to be a Rebel.”
Longtime Santa Margarita coach John Fitzpatrick has seen many exceptional players over the years, but said in terms of character, “PayDay” is as good as it gets.
“She’s not only a great player and a great teammate, but a great person,” said Fitzpatrick, who piloted the Eagles to the Southern Section Division 1 crown in 2010 and earned his 300th win last spring. “She’s going to be really successful at Ole Miss. What I appreciate about Payton most is her approach to life. I’ve known her since she was in eighth grade and I’ve never heard her say a bad word about anyone.”
Payton Kennedy, center, and her Santa Margarita High teammates huddle to celebrate their victory over Mater Dei on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Blessed with natural ability, Kennedy committed herself more fully to her sport in her freshman year after she realized relying solely on her talent would not get her where she wanted to be.
“Everyone would tell me I was talented but I didn’t put in the work and I had set very high goals,” she said. “I made the decision myself to not be distracted by other things and put softball first. I have on the mirror in my bathroom all the things I need to do — pitch, hit and go to the gym — before I do anything else.”
Also a near-4.0 student, Kennedy has been putting in hard work in the classroom and on the field and it’s paying off.
“I’d say pitching is harder mentally for me … knowing what pitch to throw in any given situation,” she said. “I’ve always hit for power, but I want to be more consistent and improve my average. It’s a daily grind but I love it.”
Kennedy plays summer travel ball for Arizona Storm National Mathis — a USA Elite Select squad based in Phoenix that plays tournaments all over the nation, including in Southern California. She FaceTimes with her coach on a regular basis.
Interested in majoring in sports medicine or exercise science, Kennedy is on Santa Margarita’s Varsity Leadership Counsel and has umpired and worked with young players on their mechanics. She even was invited to Angel Stadium to share her thoughts about the college recruiting process and offer advice on the mental aspect of the game. Being a role model is important to her, as she recalled the thrill of meeting the athlete she most admired.
“Jennie Finch was my idol and I met her at a tournament in Colorado when I was 12 or 13,” Kennedy said. “She was so nice, she signed a ball for me and from then on I knew I wanted to be like her.”
Santa Margarita hits the road Tuesday to face Orange Lutheran, ranked fifth in the latest Southern Section Division 1 power rankings and paced by one of the Southland’s elite outfielders, Oklahoma-bound senior Kai Minor.