For three years, Riley Lamb, Madi Campbell, and Lauren Ross have represented Houston County High School from the diamond. Now, they aim to bring the team to its biggest height yet: state.
Last season, the Lady Bears lost in the state tournament to Greenbrier High School. They finished fifth overall. New coach Scott Lamb, who is also Riley Lamb’s father, sees the sky as the limit for the team this season.
“I think it could be our best season yet,” he said. “Our team is deep and well balanced this season, and we’re focused on our goal.”
The team has proven leaders. Riley Lamb and Campbell have started since their freshman year, while Ross has been on the roster every year since her sophomore year.
Lamb, one of the Lady Bears’ starting pitchers, finished last season with a record of 8-6 and a 3.51 ERA. She was one of the top pitchers on the team and continues to build on that in her senior season. In the team’s first 13 games of the 2019 season, Lamb has established a 7-1 record with a 2.51 ERA and has made seven starts and four complete games, making her one of the top pitchers in the region.
“I’ve really learned how to play competitively and focus over these four years,” she said. “It is a new experience playing for my dad (as the coach), but it’s been really fun so far. He can be tough, but I still love the experience.”
Campbell, an outfielder for the Lady Bears, is also one of the top players in the region, as she is the lead-off hitter for the team. Last season, she hit for a .530 batting average, getting 44 hits in 94 plate appearances. She has continued that streak into 2019 with a current .489 batting average.
Campbell is also a terrific base runner, stealing 19 bases over the past two seasons and only getting caught stealing once. She is signed to play next season at Georgia Southern, where she is pursuing a criminal justice degree. She finished off her summer by winning an international tournament with her travel team in Canada, something she referred to as one of her biggest achievements.
“Playing these four seasons has been an awesome experience to say the least,” Campbell said. “The girls and I had a lot of fun, and now we’re focused on leaving a mark on the school by winning our region and hopefully winning a state championship.”
Ross, the starting leftfielder for the Lady Bears, is another one of the team’s top hitters and defensive players. Last season, Ross hit for a .431 batting average and had 14 doubles, giving her one of the best slugging percentages on the team.
She is also a dynamo on defense, having four putouts her junior year and committing only two errors over two seasons. Ross attributed her growing confidence in her performance to teammates Campbell and Lamb.
“I know these two will always have my back,” Ross said. “They continue to tell me to stay confident in myself because when I’m confident, then the rest of the team is confident.”
While the effects of a senior season can be exhausting, coach Lamb sees a capable team and has continued to keep them focused.
“Our number one goal is to win our county,” he said. “We don’t want to overlook our county or our region and start looking to state because winning those games can give us a huge upper hand when we do get to state, so it’s just about focusing on the first goal.”
Lamb, Campbell, and Ross, now in their final season, all talked about being the new leaders of the team. Their experience will go a long way in helping the younger players be successful this season and after they graduate.
“Leadership is going to be the key for us this season,” Campbell said. “We really have to train the underclassmen like we were taught ourselves in how to be successful. That is how we focus on winning the region and winning a state championship.”
For now, though, these young women prioritize playing on the field with each other and remembering the experiences they share.
“These girls really keep me on my toes and push me to become a better player, a better leader, and a better friend,” Lamb said.
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