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Camdyn Bassett is a star for the Troup softball team. The junior has developed into the no. 1 pitcher for the Tigers, and a power hitter from the plate.

Bassett’s home run total is down from four last season to just one heading into Tuesday’s regular season finale with Trinity Christian. She is a more patient hitter and has seen her batting average climb from .276 last season to .368 this year.

“My hitting was a little slow to start the season, but once I found a groove I’ve been fine,” Bassett said. “I’ve had a few mechanical things I had to work on, but once I did, I’ve been hitting better than before.”

Her offense has seen a big uptick since last season, but so has her all-around play as Bassett matures into a leader for the Tigers.

Troup is asking even more from Bassett this season as she takes over the no. 1 pitcher role from Maggie McDonald, who departed to play softball in college after last season.

“Last year Maggie was the leader and I was following in her footsteps,” Bassett said. “She was like a guide for me, so this year has been different. Now, the big games are my games, so it has been a change for me.”

Heading into Tuesday’s game, Bassett has pitched 44 1/3 innings — almost nine more innings than the next highest total on the team. On the mound is where she feels most comfortable and confident.

When not pitching, Bassett starts at third base for the Tigers and first base for her travel ball team, but her aspirations to play at the next level lie in her abilities on the mound.

As a junior, Bassett is just starting to dive into the recruiting waters.

“September 1 was the first day you can get offers, and for some girls they will get offers on day one, but for others it may take months,” Bassett said. “I want to go somewhere that is the right fit for me so I don’t have to worry about transferring.”

While she has one eye on the future, her focus remains on the present. Region 4-4A is wide open this season going into the region tournament, and Bassett has eyes on helping lead the team into the playoffs.

“This year it could be anybody,” Bassett said. “For it to be this wide open it gives us a lot of hope. I don’t want anything more right now than to win that region tournament.”

Bassett got some playing time as a freshman, but last year was when she became a real integral part of the team. Last year, she got to taste what it was like to play in big games, including helping the team make a run to the sweet sixteen a season ago where they fell to Wayne County. 

This year’s high school softball season is in its twilight stages. But softball does not end for Bassett when the Tigers season winds down, for her, softball is a year round endeavor. 

“I will go from school ball straight to travel ball and will play that all fall before playing another season in the spring,” Bassett said. “There is never really any part of the year when I’m not playing softball. Almost every weekend when I’m not playing with the high school, I’m playing softball somewhere.”