The Lamar County High School softball team is coming in hot to begin the 2025 season, earning a 5-0 record in its first week.
Lamar County 15, Columbus 2
The Trojans began the 2025 softball season with a big win over the Blue Devils of Columbus. Kylee Kington drove in the first run of the season with a first-inning triple, bringing home Ansleigh Humphries. Bailey Gunter, Keelie Smallwood, and Caitlynn Whitaker followed with RBI hits to give Lamar County an early cushion.
From that point, the offense did not slow down. Hailey Stanley smacked a two-run homer to center field. Whitaker’s double in the third and a six-run burst in the fourth put the game out of reach as the Trojans rolled to a 15–2 victory. Hits from Layla Johnson, Brayleigh Ziehme, and Jayla Robinson put the game out of reach.
Lamar County finished the game with 15 hits and 0 errors. Dakota Crowley pitched four innings and struck out five batters.
Lamar County 6, Crawford County 0
Lamar County shut out Crawford County High School, winning the game 6-0.
Layla Johnson drove in the game’s first runs with a groundout in the fourth, and the Trojans added insurance an inning later when Kylee Kington lined an RBI double and Bailey Gunter crushed a three-run homer to center. Gunter led the offensive charge in the game against Crawford, going 2 for 3.
Pitcher, Ansleigh Humphries, was dominant, striking out seven in five shutout innings while allowing just two hits.
Lamar County 10, Marion County 4
The Trojans got started early in Buena Vista, scoring three runs in the first inning. A Hailey Stanley double to left field allowed Kiley Kington to score. After Stanley scored on a wild pitch, Caitlynn Whitaker’s single to left field allowed Keelie Smallwood to come home.
in the second inning, Emmalee Corley scored on an error after a Kington single. Kington scored on a Gunter single to left field.
In the top of the third, Kaden Flournoy brought in Layla Johnson to make the score 6-0. The Trojans continued the pour it on, scoring two runs in the top of the fourth. Layla Johnson doubled to left field, allowing Scarlett Bryan to score from first. Brayleigh Ziehme added another run on a single to left field.
Dakota Crowley earned the win in the circle.
Lamar County 7, Jackson 6
Lamar County played a close one in Jackson last Wednesday, but the Trojans came home with a 7-6 victory.
Jackson took the lead in the bottom of the first after scoring one run, but Lamar County answered quickly with two runs of their own to take the early lead in the second inning. A single from Dakota Crowley brought Keelie Smallwood across the plate to score. Next, Nya Brown scored on a Ziehme sac-fly.
In the third, Bailey Gunter extended the lead after hitting a high fly ball into center field that carried out of the ballpark. The two-run homer made the score 4-1. But the Devils took the lead with a home run in the third inning.
The Trojans fought back and tied the game at five in the top of the fifth inning thanks to Keelie Smallwood ripping a ball to right field for a triple. Jackson would score again in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 6-5.
Lamar County took the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Dakota Crowley pushed Layla Johnson to third on a ground ball to the pitcher. This allowed Johnson to tie the game on a sacrifice fly from Ansleigh Humphries. Dakota Crowley scored the winning run on a passed ball in the top of the sixth, giving the Trojans seven.
Lamar County played another flawless game in the field. They committed no errors as a team. Humphries struck out three and is credited with the win. Crowley got the save in this matchup, striking out one.
Lamar County 11, Crawford County 3
The Trojans hosted Crawford County at the Gordon State College athletic complex on Thursday, winning 11-3 over the Eagles.
Lamar County poured it on the Eagles early, scoring four runs in the first inning. Caitlynn Whitaker got on base with a walk. Courtesy runner, Nya Brown advanced to second on a Kylee Kington bunt to third base—all runners safe. Hailey Stanley grounded into a fielder’s choice, allowing the Eagles to get Kington out at third, but Nya Brown scored to give the Trojans their first run of the day. Bailey Gunter and Hailey Stanley would score on a Crawford error, followed by a double to left by Layla Johnson. Courtesy runner, Scarlett Bryan scored to put Lamar County up four.
Crawford got its first run in the fourth and added two more in the top of the fifth, but Lamar County responded in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run over the left field fence.
Lamar County added more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Brayleigh Ziehme lined a shot to left field to bring in Nya Brown. Layla Johnson and LeBre Fletcher would score on wild pitches. Kylee Kington had an RBI single to bring Emalee Corley home. Kington scored on an RBI single to right field by Bailey Gunter.
Dakota Crowley earned the win and struck out three.
Stats and Looking Ahead
So far this season, Kylee Kington leads the team with 11 hits and a .611 average at the plate. Bailey Gunter is batting .529 and leads the team with three home runs. Keelie Smallwood has the highest on-base percentage (.625).
Pitcher, Dakota Crowley has the lowest ERA (2.049) and has racked up 12 strikeouts.
Lamar County will play at Spalding High School on Monday, August 18. The Trojans will face the Marion County Eagles before battling the Baconton Community Charter School, both on Saturday.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
