http://www.forsythnews.com/section/118/article/27917/

LAMBERT

Coach: Brooks Youngblood, second season

Last season: 25-4, Region 6-AAAAAA champions, lost in first round of Class AAAAAA playoffs

Key returners: 2B/SS Skylar Aledia, so.; OF Maddie Butz, sr.; C/OF Rachel Cowart, so.; OF/C Shelby Dean, sr.; P/1B Marissa Guimbarda, jr.; OF Kaitlin Holloway, sr.; P/SS Kassidy Krupit, so.; 3B Zoe Miller, sr.

Key newcomers: 1B Ansley Dean, fr.; OF Catie Rose Hays, so.; UTL Ansley Lloyd, jr.

Outlook: Pitching is the most crucial component in softball, and Lambert has plenty in junior Marissa Guimbarda (13-4, 1.63ERA last season) and sophomore Kassidy Krupit (10-0, 1.51ERA). Oh, and both can hit too: they combined for six home runs and 59 RBI last season. They will anchor Lambert’s lineup this season, and the Lady Longhorns will need them to help offset the loss of shortstop and Tennessee signee Savannah Huffstetler, last year’s FCN Player of the Year, and catcher Macy Stovall. Second-year coach Brooks Youngblood is confident sophomore Rachel Cowart can replace Stovall at catcher and that Krupit can slide over to shortstop on the days she doesn’t pitch to replace Huffstetler. It’s also comforting for Lambert to have four-year starter Zoe Miller back at third, sophomore Skylar Aledia back at second and senior Kaitlin Holloway back in centerfield. This looks like another Lambert team that can contend for a region title. “That’s our regular season goal every year,” Youngblood said. “I think it’s realistic this year.”