After leading Lakeside to its first state playoff appearance in six years -- batting .533 and picking up 12 wins with 93 strikeouts along with way -- it's safe to say the team will miss senior Erika Bittinger next season as she gets ready to attend Henderson State University this fall.
Bittinger, who recently signed to play softball for the Reddies, is The Sentinel-Record's 2021 All-Garland County Softball Player of the Year.
As the Lady Rams' ace hurler in the circle, Bittinger led the team to a 12-5 regular-season record and a second-round playoff game in the Class 5A state tournament in Mountain Home after Lakeside knocked off Vilonia 4-2 in the first round last month. With a 2.08 ERA pitching, Bittinger also collected 18 RBIs, 11 doubles, two triples and three home runs from the plate this season.
Bittinger said their first-round state playoff win was one of her most memorable moments playing softball.
"It not only took everything in me, but it took everything in my teammates," she said. "They went 100% at every single ball, and just to be able to say that they had my back and I had theirs, that was amazing."
Just as much as she led the team with her playing performance, Bittinger proved herself the team's leader off the field as well.
After going 2-0 from the mound and batting .833 with four RBIs during the week of April 12, Lady Rams head coach Josh Bradley noted simply, "She is our glue that holds us together."
"Very much so," Bradley said of how important Bittinger's consistency was to the team. "You know, we went how she went. ... It's just the way our team is -- if Erika's successful, everybody thinks they're gonna be successful. If they see Erika fail to start the game, we're gonna, you know, we're gonna struggle that game."
Bradley explained the extent of Bittinger's leadership and said that it set the tone for the rest of the team with her work ethic and competitive nature.
"So Erika's in basketball until about the start of softball season," said Bradley. "And so I'm working with a majority of the team before she gets there. ... And then when Erika shows up, it's a totally different ballgame. They fall in line with her -- they walk to practice different, they load the bus different -- everything just changes when Erika got there."
Bradley said that Bittinger did it the "right way," regarding her attitude and leadership qualities, and that it spilled over into her teammates.
"They looked up to her because when she was told to do something, no matter what it was, she was gonna do it," he said. "She wasn't gonna question it. So, you know, those girls knew that if they were going to ever try to buck that, they were gonna have a lot to put on their plate in order to have a say so in that. But yeah, absolutely. She had great leadership all four years, but she earned that as well. She's been one of the better ones I've been around, boys and girls (alike). There's good leaders; there's bad leaders. If you're gonna be a good leader, you got to do it right every day. She did it the right way, and those girls they fell in line with her and steered us in the right direction."
After last season was cut short due to COVID-19, Bittinger said good to be back out on the field this season and to play the game she loves with her friends.
"I was really grateful for this season just because we were able to get back out there," she said. "It is my senior year, and I needed -- I just wanted one more year with my friends -- and being able to play with them meant a lot to me. This year was one of our best years, like (out) of my four years here, and just being able to be out there with my best friends was just really nice."
Bittinger, whose focus and intensity on the field is evident to anyone who sees, noted two things when asked what drives her desire to be successful -- heart and passion.
"I just try to go 100% all the time," she said. "And just like my teammates, when they count on me, I don't ever want to like be the one to let anybody down."
Bittinger said that it was difficult falling to Greene County Tech in the second round of the state playoffs but that she was just thankful for the opportunity to extend her season a little this year. She said having that extra chance in the postseason was "absolutely amazing."
"I was extremely excited just to be able to get to go my last year in high school," she said. "But being able to go there with my friends and having one more time -- to get on the field one more time, to play another game, just extending the season a little bit more -- was absolutely amazing."
As a natural athlete who played multiple sports growing up, Bittinger began playing softball competitively at around age 10 before starting to play travel softball a few years later. She noted the aggressive style of play helped her grow and mature, ultimately improving her skillset to what it is today.
"We haven't always been the best team in our conference; we haven't made it to state," she said. "And coming from travel softball where everyone there -- that's their only sport. That's what they want to do in college, and they, like, pursue softball. And then coming to high school ball where people are out there just having fun and just seeing the difference and being able to stay patient with my teammates."
"I remember her early on in her softball career -- how competitive she is really drove kind of how her emotions were with every single game," added Bradley. "You know, she took failure very hard. Even though it wasn't always her fault, she took it personal every single time. And then as she grew, got a little older, matured more, she was able to cope with those, you know, with failures like that a whole lot easier and just be a little more solid, sturdy for her team. ... She just grew a lot in that way. And the leadership side of that as well, because everybody was looking to her, 'How is Erika gonna act right now?' And then they, you know, when she looked like, 'Hey, I still got it all together,' they felt more comfortable that way."
Another Bittinger was behind the plate this season -- that being Erika's younger sister Emylee. When asked what it was like having her younger sister catching for her, Bittinger just smiled.
"It's challenging to say the least," she said jokingly. "Because my mom (Lady Rams assistant coach Lanea Bittinger) used to call all my pitches for the first three years, and Emylee, my little sister, she now calls them. So that's a lot of trust in her if I don't have any say in it. Like, I can shake her off, and then she'll get mad, and I'll go like, 'Ehh fine, I'll throw that pitch,' but I know she has my back and she's not gonna fail me, so I have to be able to trust her in that."
Bittinger, who will be majoring in biology pre-optometry at HSU, said she will be busy this summer playing a lot of softball and working out as she prepares to continue her playing career at the collegiate level.
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Softball
P Erika Bittinger, senior, Lakeside, 107 2/3 IP, 93 strikeouts, 2.08 ERA, 12-6 record, .533 batting average, 3 HRs, 11 doubles, 2 triples, 18 RBIs
P Kai Griffith, junior, Hot Springs
P Madison Duke, sophomore, Lake Hamilton, All-Conference, 13-10 record
1B/P Alyssa Stultz, junior, Jessieville, .300+ batting average, tied school record for strikeouts
1B Jurnee Hicks, senior, Hot Springs
3B Leah Cook, freshman, Lakeside, .386 batting average, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 24 RBIs
SS Emma Hayes, senoir, Lake Hamilton, All-State, All-Star nominee, .491 batting average (team leader), .580 OBP (team leader), led team in steals
SS/P/C Eden East, freshman, Fountain Lake
C Darnessa Hudson, senior, Hot Springs
C Emylee Bittinger, sophomore, Lakeside, .542 batting average, 3 HRs, 13 doubles, 1 triple, 27 RBIs
C Kaylin Kauffman, junior, Lake Hamilton, All-State Tournament team, All-Conference, led team in home runs and RBIs
OF Annaclaire Berry, sophomore, Fountain Lake, .400+ batting average
OF Kerianna Collins, junior, Cutter Morning Star, .415 batting average