Get on board with Dugout Chatter’s regular feature, The Final Pitch!
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
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Here’s our TFP for Friday, Aug. 25, 2023:
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THE FINAL PITCH: KIERSTYN LAMBETH
Uncommitted 2027 1B/OF Kierstyn Lambeth recently talked to Dugout Chatter about Impact Gold 2K9 National, Clear Creek High, the Alliance Nationals, Hotshots National, TN Mojo 2027-Palmer and Indiana Magic Gold-Bennett/Goddard, #IPlayforMo, future college, Sports Administration, art, Taylor Pleasants, “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Eminem, “Bones,” “A League Of Their Own” and deer hunting.
THE FINAL PITCH Q&A
Name: Kierstyn Lambeth
Hometown: League City, TX
High School: Clear Creek High
Club Team: Impact Gold 2k9 National
Graduation Year: 2027
Height: 5-foot-4
Position: 1B/OF
Nickname: My teammates call me Lambeth or Lambo. Fun fact, those were also my Dad’s nicknames from when he played baseball.
Twitter/Instagram: @KierstynLambeth/@kierstyn.lambeth
Honors: Top-18 Performer at USA HPP U-13 National Selection; Ronald McDonald 1st Team All-Tournament (2022); USA Softball All-American Region; TFL Summer Cup Elite Division 1st Team All-Tournament (2023); Select 30 invitee (2022 & 2023); Colorado Sparkler All-American (2023); Softball Factory invitee (2022 & 2023); and Victory Lakes Intermediate “Panther Extra Mile Award.”
Travel Ball Fall 2022 Stats: 30-5-1 yeam record, 35 games, .507 AVG, .580 OBP, .767 SLG, 37 hits, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 32 runs, 27 RBIs, 13 BBS and 8 SBs.
Travel Ball Spring/Summer Stats: 84-15-3 team record, 102 games, .417 AVG, .450 OBP, .652 SLG, 96 hits, 15 doubles, 15 triples, 3 HRs, 77 runs, 80 RBIs, 14 BBs and 27 SBs.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? I wanted to be a part of one of the top programs in the country. It all started with a chance. Coach (Jared) Bryant asked me to come work out with his team one weekend and the rest is history. It’s a day I can’t forget — I have a scar above my eyebrow to help me remember — during the team scrimmage a hard-hit groundball to left field took a bad hop and popped me in the face and my sunglasses cut me. Most importantly, I finished the play!
Tell us about your club team’s 3rd-place finish at 14U Alliance Nationals after winning the 12U Alliance national title the previous summer? Even though I wasn’t officially on the team, yet, last summer when we won the 12U Alliance, I was on the edge of my seat watching on GameChanger. This summer in the 14U Alliance, coaches from other teams kept saying things like, “Wow, y’all are a really strong team, y’all shouldn’t have even gotten this far as a first-year 14U?!” My team and I were like, “Well, this is what we do…?” We set out to win the tournament and got to play the best teams in the nation. Third place isn’t bad, but we will be back to reclaim our title next year.
Can you tell us about your future high school team? I will be a freshman at Clear Creek High in League City, Texas. Looking forward to playing with top recruit for 2025, Khamari Hall, and other amazing teammates.
Which player/team has been your toughest opponent and why? We get to play top teams in every tournament we attend. The top-three opponents would have to be Hotshots National, Tennessee Mojo-Palmer and Indiana Magic Gold-Bennett/Goddard. All these teams have elite pitching and stellar defense. We love a good challenge!
What have you faced/overcome in life that has made you the person you are today? Losing one of my best friends and teammates, Morgan “Mo” Wilson, has been one of the most difficult things to overcome. Even though it has been tough, I know that she would want me to keep playing hard and keep reaching for my goals. So now every time I step on the field, I play for Mo and my teammates. #foreverMo3 #IPlayForMo
What are you looking for in a future college? I want to continue playing softball in college but also understand the importance of a strong education. So I’m looking for a Division 1 University with a strong, confident coach that will help me become the best student-athlete I can be.
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? Right now, I plan to major in Kinesiology or Sports Administration because I want to be a college softball coach one day.
What’s your favorite subject to study in school and why? Art! I have been lucky to have some of the best art teachers growing up. I love to paint and draw.
Who is your sports hero and why? Taylor Pleasants from LSU. She’s a power lefty from the Houston area too and I’ve grown up watching her play. She has a high softball IQ and is fun to watch on the field.
What’s your favorite book to read and why? I just finished “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series. It’s full of twists and turns and was hard for me to put down. Some days I’d just sit by the pool and read.
What’s the best hype song and why? I listen to all kinds of music — but one of my favs is “Venom” by Eminem.
What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? “Bones.” I love the suspense and all the problem-solving by a strong female character.
What’s your favorite movie and why? My favorite movie is “A League of Their Own” because it made me laugh and cry and it proved that girls can truly do anything.
Do you have a secret talent/skill? Hunting is one of my skills. This past deer season I actually won the “Big Buck Contest” with an 8-pointer I harvested.
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NEWS & NOTES
***Buford (GA), the reigning GHSA 7A state champion, started the NFCA Summer/Fall High School To0 25 as the #1 team, which is where it finished last season.
NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25:
- 1. Buford (GA)
- 2. Columbine (CO)
- 3. Holy Family (CO)
- 4. Gretna (NE)
- 5. Caddo (OK)
- 6. Owasso (OK)
- 7. Strasburg (CO)
- 8. Jeff Davis (GA)
- 9. Erie (CO)
- 10. Eaton (CO)
- 11. Turner (OK)
- 12. Broken Arrow (OK)
- 13. Lincoln East (NE)
- 14. Houston County (GA)
- 15. Millard West (NE)
- 16. East Paulding (GA)
- 17. Lincoln Southwest (NE)
- 18. Pope (GA)
- 19. Lone Grove (OK)
- 20. Moore (OK)
- 21. North Linn (IA)
- 22. Ankeny Centennial (IA)
- 23. Regina Catholic (IA)
- 24. Williamsburg (IA)
- 25. Winterset (IA)
🥎 @BWolvesSoftball starts where it finished, opening No. 1 in 2023 Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll.
🔗 https://t.co/ocOzyAAsX6 pic.twitter.com/ckvHamwljp— National Fastpitch Coaches Association (@NFCAorg) August 24, 2023
***Check out Virginia Unity 18U-Johnson/Ricks’ roster for the 2023-24 season. …
The talent on this team…👀
Elite Pitching ✅
Elite Catching ✅
Elite Defense ✅
Balance Offense w/Power+Speed ✅
Softball IQ ✅
Team 1st Mentality ✅
Athleticism ✅
Proven Winners ✅We found our 🧩 from coast to coast & from the north+south! #UNITY 🙌🏼
Schedule Release..SOON pic.twitter.com/k4wV5YE8R9
— Unity 18u-Johnson (@Unity18uJohnson) August 23, 2023
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HSOTD
Today’s Hype Song of the Day is …
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BTITW
Today’s Best Thing In The World is …
Huyang breaking down Sabine’s padawan skills #Ahsoka #SabineWren #Huyang pic.twitter.com/6kDJSLjg8b
— Bryan Rice (@bricey16) August 23, 2023
— Carlos Arias, Dugout Chatter (Follow Carlos on Twitter @Los_Stuff and Threads @los_stuff)
