It takes an efficient battery to make a high-powered machine run smoothly.

Lake Shore’s softball team, which breezed to a Division 2 district championship Friday, gets that charge from junior pitcher Sophia VanDenstorm and sophomore catcher Kendra Damm.

In the Shorians’ 19-0 win against Center Line in the championship game, VanDenstorm retired all nine batters she faced, including eight on strikeouts. She and Damm also led the offensive attack.

Damm got things rolling with a bases-loaded triple in the first inning. She finished with two triples and a double and four RBI. VanDenstorm had an RBI double and a two-run homer.

It’s no wonder coach Carl Agosta is so excited about the future for his team.

“We have no seniors and only two juniors,” he said. “We did OK during the (Macomb Area Conference Blue Division) season — fourth out of seven teams but it’s all been about building. They got better every week and they bonded every week. It’s timely hitting, great pitching and the girls playing together as a team. This is my favorite team of any I’ve been a part of.”

Two of the reasons for that are his two captains — VanDenstorm and Damm.

“Whether she’s in the circle or at the plate she’s an amazing leader,” Agosta said of VanDenstorm, who is getting calls from several Division 1 colleges. “She brought this team together. We have seven freshmen on the team and beginning with workouts in November, she’s brought them together.”

Damm played third base last season and earned All-County honors as she batted over .400.

When the Shorians’ senior catcher graduated, Damm volunteered to take over the position.

“She said, ‘we have a great pitcher. I’ll go behind the plate. I pitched, so I know what she wants,’” Agosta said. “You can’t give her enough credit for a selfless act.”

Damm said it was just a natural thing for her to do.“I feel as a pitcher, it’s easier to catch because you know spots and things,” she said. “It’s what the team needed and I was willing to step up. I had some catching experience in the past but it was hard at first. I have a great team and great supporters and they were leading me all the way.”

Damm gets a good view of what makes VanDenstorm so effective.

“Sophia has great movement on her ball,” she said. “It’s always got some type of spin — up spin or down spin — to keep batters on their toes.”

VanDenstorm said it has taken a lot of hard work to reach her present level.

“Since I was little I always wanted to be in the center,” she said. “I wanted to be the pitcher, kind of control the whole game. I struggled. I used the be the number three pitcher on my travel team. It’s hard work to get where I am now and I worked hard. A lot of training. A lot of work.”

VanDenstorm enjoys working with Damm.

“She pitched so she knows what I’m thinking,” VanDenstorm said. “She’s going to do great. She’s smoking runners down at second. Without her, there would be no me. She frames those balls. She helps me out, for sure. I give her a lot of credit.”

As well as she pitched, VanDenstorm had the biggest smile when talking about her home run in the second inning.

“It came right off the sweet spot,” she said. “I thought, ‘this feels good,’ and it went out. It’s gone. I just kept running and enjoying it. It always feels nice to hit a home run.”

Other offensive standouts for Lake Shore were Sara Augustitus with a double and a home run,

Elise Badyna with two singles and Abby Herbst and Makayla Blumenschein with singles.

Blumenschein was the hitting star of the 15-0 district semifinal win against Lamphere with a grand slam.

It has been a difficult season, record-wise, for Center Line but coach Jason Ogden said it has been a productive year.

“Our pitcher (Claire Ogden) is the only travel player we have and our shortstop (Madison Ience) is the only other player with softball experience,” he said. “Other than those two, they’re playing softball for the first time this year. They’re having fun.

“I told them when the season started that my job from start to finish is to make you better people and help you be better ballplayers. I think we accomplished that. I’m not disappointed. I think they did the best they could to their ability. That’s all you can ask.”

Lake Shore will play the winner of the Yale District on June 7 at noon in the Division 2 regional hosted by Croswell-Lexington.

“We’ve built a culture here,” Agosta said. “There’s a certain expectation when they come to this program and it’s led by the girls. They’re in the gym working three days a week and working to get stronger. I present the opportunity and they capture it. I leave it all up to them.”

And the players are enjoying it.

“Last year we struggled a little, so coming back from last year it’s been great,” VanDenstorm said. “We knew we were they underdogs so we fought every game. I’m so proud of all of them.

“Lake Shore’s coming to town, man.”