Senior Alexis Rogers has regular opportunities to contribute to Nansemond River High School’s softball team, but these opportunities do not consistently come during games. When they did recently, Rogers’ play led to her becoming the Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week.

Across two games played during the week of May 10, she went 6-for-7 at the plate, with one home run, three runs batted in and four runs scored.

“I just did what I felt like I needed to do,” Rogers said.

In a 13-1 home win over Heritage High School on May 12, she went 3-for-3. Then, in a home game on May 15 against Phoebus High School that she said started slowly, she went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer to help her team pick up the pace and win 10-0.

Reflecting on what she did that week, Lady Warriors coach Gabe Rogers (no relation) said, “Obviously, I was excited for her.”

He described her as a very strong kid.

“It’s not surprising that she was able to hit the ball as hard as she did, because she does it in practice a lot,” he said. “What other people are seeing for the first time or the second time or whatever, we see daily.”

And she takes seriously her role to challenge the more experienced starters in practice, helping them and the team grow.

“I think it’s very important that we try our hardest, because if we’re not trying, how are they going to try, you know?” she said.

Since she does not always play in games, Rogers might be expected to be nervous when she’s put in, but she noted being a part of the Nansemond River softball program for five years now has helped cure her of nervousness.

“Nerves were in the past,” she said.

Rogers spent three years on the junior varsity team. Describing her past two years on the varsity team, she said, “For me, it’s been absolutely amazing. It’s given me an opportunity to play with so many great players and be under Gabe. Gabe’s a great coach.”

She plays on a team whose players have a wealth of travel ball experience, but her softball story is quite different.

“I never played travel ball,” she said.

When she was younger, she played soccer and participated in gymnastics.

She said her mom and dad, veteran softball and baseball players, respectively, always wanted her to play softball, but her inspiration to participate actually came from watching her younger sister, Madison Rogers.

During one of Madison’s softball games, Alexis Rogers was captivated, and she said she realized, “I actually want to do this.”

She first followed through on that desire when she was 11, playing in Bennett’s Creek Little League.

After high school, Rogers plans to go James Madison University and major in business. She said at one point, she did not think she would continue on in softball, but she is now considering playing club ball.

“I don’t think I could ever give it up; it’s so much fun,” she said. “It’s one of the most fun things I’ve ever gotten to be a part of.”