The Bloomingdale High School softball team reached the final four for a second straight season, something the program had never done before. Head Coach Leah Pemberton called it a career after the season, stepping away from the program.
The Lady Bulls won their second regional title in the last two seasons when they defeated Bartow High School 6-2 on May 15. They came up a little bit short in the state semifinal against Doral Academy, losing 5-4 in extra innings.
“I will always remember the way the team bonded after a hard defeat,” said junior Marley Boucher. “We lost districts and then went into regionals playing for each. We knew we had the potential to go so much farther. We stuck to our plan and ended up making it to the state semis. It just made playing so much more enjoyable, knowing your teammates are there for you every step of the way.”
The team had a target on their back in 2025 after last year’s successful season, in which the Lady Bulls went undefeated in the regular season and won regionals.
“I am so proud of how the team battled. Even after the hard losses, no matter who we lost to, we came back the next game regardless of the opponent, ready to fight,” said freshman Makenna Castro.
Pemberton knew before the season that it would be her last run with the team. She started playing at the age of 5 and was a high school standout at Bloomingdale before going to play in college at Florida Southern College. She took over her alma mater in 2019, coaching the team for six years and bringing the program back to prominence.
“What I will miss most about playing for coach Pemberton is all of the times she has pushed me to be better and showed me what I am capable of doing,” said senior Paige Sanchez. “The most important thing she has taught me is even when things get hard is not to hang my head, but to keep pushing and fighting until either you learn what you can do better or you win.”
Pemberton decided to step away from the program to focus on other things going on in her life. She said that it will be tough for her to leave the game that she’s loved since she was a little girl. She said that she will miss the competition and coaching her players.
“I was the closest with the girls than I think I ever have been,” said Pemberton. “I think just knowing that it was going to be my last year, it was easier to kind of put that effort in. Coaching the girls has been such a bright part of my day. I just get to go out on the field and kind of forget about everything that goes on in my personal life and just get to enjoy it and have fun.”
The coach has left her mark on the program, and her players will never forget her impact.
“I will miss coach Leah’s passion for the sport and the relationships she forms with all of us,” said sophomore Lindsay Cable. “The most important thing that she has taught me is show up and be ready to improve each day. She always said to take practice seriously and get better each day, and it will translate to the games. She pushed us each and every practice, wanting all of us to be the best, and it helped us all so much, and it helped us make it to states.”
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