MONTEREY >> Over the course of a season, DeNae Lee files away in her head each pitcher who has struck her out.

Following the game, she will go home, get in her backyard and hit off a tee, recounting the pitch that sent the Monterey High catcher back to the dugout.

“I never forget who strikes me out,” Lee said. “I will never forget the pitch. I will go home and make adjustments. When I see them again, I look at it as redemption and payback.”

The list this spring has been reduced. Having made 48 plate appearances to date, the power-hitting Lee has struck out just once all year.

“There’s good pressure that goes along with responsibility,” first-year softball coach Travis Elder said. “I think opponents know who the ‘dawgs’ are. She’s just dangerous.”

Having verbally committed to Utah to play softball in 2027, the junior is tearing up opponents at the plate, hitting .474 with runners in scoring position this season.

Through 13 games, Lee has driven in 21 runs, with more than half of her hits going for extra bases.

“I think the commitment to Utah has taken a little weight off of her shoulders,” Elder said. “It is like someone is validating me.”

Lee’s numbers speak for themselves. With six homers, she is on pace to rewrite the county home run record of 14, set by King City’s Lisa Villanueva, established during her sophomore season 2022.

“I can’t tell you how many doubles with the exit level to leave the yard have hit the wall,” Elder said. “She is a line drive hitter by nature. All her homers are majestic and missiles.”

Lee, who hit just two homers last year as a sophomore, is still hitting for average at .425, while posting a .489 on-base percentage.

“Honestly, my mindset has never changed,” Lee said. “I’m not going to let anyone outwork me. Even when I didn’t get on the field as a freshman, I put the work in to prove I belonged.”

As potent as Lee has been in the batters’ box, her prowess on defense keeps opponents from stealing bases. Her knowledge of each hitter enables her to call games.

“Usually, it’s their junior year when kids go off,” Elder said. “That’s a big year with exposure. It’s where a lot of players arrive. Maturity is setting in. That’s a huge part of it for her.”

Over the summer on her travel team, Lee found herself in demand as a handful of Division I colleges were showing interest.

While Utah was not originally on Lee’s radar of prospective homes, she changed her mind the minute she set foot on the Salt Lake City campus.“Right when I walked on campus, I knew this is where I want to spend my college life,” Lee said. “The atmosphere, environment, coaches. It all fit and fell into place.”

Lee had no intention of making a rash decision. However, there was pressure in the process with schools asking for verbal commitments.

“I had a good group of schools,” Lee said. “The process was stressful in reaching out to coaches. I didn’t want to lose focus throughout the path. The grind doesn’t stop.”

The mental fortitude has continued even after the commitment, as proven by Lee’s production at the plate this spring and workaholic attitude in practice, which has become contagious. The Toreadores are chasing a fourth straight Central Coast Section finals appearance.

“Every day I go out to practice, I’m competing for a spot in my book,” Lee said. “That’s why I’m in the gym after practices, taking extra cuts in the cage.”

When softball practices conclude, Lee works out with personal trainer and former Canadian Football League receiver Maurice Mann, improving her strength, agility and speed.

With Lee hitting in the No. 3 hole and UC Santa Barbara-bound Ella Myers in the cleanup spot, Monterey has the most potent 1-2 punch in the county.

In fact, Myers is chasing the county’s all-time home run record, having hit five after arriving late from an extended wrestling season.

“We help each other out at the plate,” Myers said. “I’m seeing more pitches because of DeNae. She’s locked in. She’s stepped into more of a leadership role with the girls. She is focused on helping others get better.”

Other than staying on her back hip and incorporating a breathing routine to clear her head, little else goes through Lee’s mind.

“The home run is not my ideal at-bat,” Lee said. “My ideal thing is to have a productive at-bat. My mechanics are coming together. I am looking for the mistake a pitcher is going to make. I’m trying to be less selfish.”

Still, the power that Lee possesses keeps spectators in their seats when she comes to the plate, as something special often happens.

“Sometimes I won’t get all of it and it’ll still go,” Lee said. “What’s important to me is we have good team chemistry. The coaches allow input while being respectful.”

That includes when Lee is on base. Because teams are allowed designated runners for catchers and pitchers, most teams remove their catchers to put the gear back on.

Lee has objected to that theory, as she considers herself an athlete who can do damage on the base paths as well.

The result has been the 5-foot-9 Lee, who was among Monterey’s leaders in touchdown catches last fall in flag football, score a team-high 16 runs this season, while stealing four bases.

“I almost never give in to a (designated) runner,” Lee said. “I like to run the bases. I will beg coach to keep me in the game. I see myself as a complete player.”

Elder has obliged for the most part.

“She’s one of my smartest base runners,” said Elder, who spent more than 20 years as a baseball coach before moving to softball. “It’s one thing to have talent. It’s another to work hard.”

Feared at the plate, Lee is respected behind it. Blessed with a cannon for an arm, she has caught runners off base, throwing from her knees.

“It comes with preparation,” Elder said. “She’s aggressive. She is one of the smartest players on the field. She sees the field from a unique perspective. You don’t want a passive catcher.”

Because Myers and Lee play on the same travel team, the pair bounce ideas off each other when Myers is in the circle.

“There are times when I’m not sure what to throw next,” Myers said. “So I’ll ask what do you think? Usually, she chooses the pitch I was leaning toward. We’re almost always on the same page. I can throw a drop, knowing she will dig it out.”

As gifted of an athlete as Lee is, softball has been her passion since the day she began hitting off a tee at 4 years old.

“I knew back then softball was for me,” Lee said. “I enjoy playing flag football. But softball is priority No. 1. The bonds you create are so special. It’s like a giant sisterhood.”