Vocal Leader

LINCOLN -- A year ago Lexington Dobbs attended a recruiting and skills camp under the direction of Ouachita Baptist head softball coach Mike McGhee.

Dobbs, a 5-feet-4 senior, plays softball, basketball and volleyball, plus has been a cheerleader. She was selected as the 2016 Homecoming queen and is the Enterprise-Leader's choice as female Athlete of the Year at Lincoln for 2016. She made an impression as the OBU staff provided instruction covering all aspects of competitive softball including: offensive, infield and outfield drills, plus catching and pitching. Dobbs, who has been a starter at catcher for Lincoln during her high school career, signed a national letter of intent Nov. 14 to play women's college softball for Ouachita Baptist University located at Arkadelphia.

Farmington High School principal Jon Purifoy, whose daughter Paige Purifoy plays softball at Ouachita Baptist, said the Lady Tigers were looking for help at catcher. Last season, the Lady Tigers finished 19-32 with an 11-30 league record in the Great American Conference. They primarily used three pitchers and finished with a team earned-run average of 5.74 while their opponents' ERA stood at 3.18. The team fielding percentage was .937 compared to .962 for their opponents. The Lady Tigers suffered 93 errors, 38 more than teams playing against them. Their batting average was .270, lower than the .344 attained by opponents.

Lincoln softball coach Beau Collins, who took over the Lady Wolves' program in 2016, learned of Dobbs' value upon arrival.

"She was one of the girls that met me here before school even started when I was hired," Collins said. "There were 9 or 10 girls who asked me, 'what do I need to get started on?' That really impressed me."

Dobbs was an instrumental player in helping Lincoln qualify for the state tournament last season. She brings a competitive streak to the softball diamond that carries over to her teammates and is taking her onto the next level. Dobbs hit around .315 as a junior and belted a pair of home runs. Collins distinctly remembers Dobbs' vocal leadership in the dugout inspiring her teammates during a first-round state tournament game against Bauxite last spring.

"Her competitiveness was infectious, she kind of influenced the rest of the team," Collins said. "We were in a couple of really tight games last year, including the state tournament game that was scoreless into the fifth inning against Bauxite."

Dobbs asserted herself as the Lady Wolves came off the field and prepared for their next at-bat. Collins remembers her saying, "All we need is one, we've got this."

Lincoln went on to record a 1-0 victory advancing to the second-round, a game Dobbs said is one of her favorite memories of playing high school softball at Lincoln.

"That was the farthest I've ever been on a softball team," Dobbs said. "I want to thank all of my coaches, who have contributed to my development as a softball player from T-ball on and my parents (Dwayne and LaDonna Dobbs). I want to thank my parents for always getting me everything I needed for a game, even if it meant going home to get my cleats because I forgot them."

"I want to thank my teammates for helping me never lose my love for the game," Dobbs said.

Lincoln assistant softball coach Megan Jobe called Dobbs a "dedicated role model for younger players," saying she can't wait to watch Dobbs go to the next level. Collins said beyond winning games, conference championships and competing at the state tournament, the goal of the softball program is to get Lincoln athletes into position where they will be able to play at the next level. Lincoln athletic director Deon Birkes said lots of people have had a hand in Dobbs progressing as a player to the point where she is receiving a scholarship to play college softball.

"This is what we want athletics to be all about, to have kids play at the next level," Birkes said.

"She's one of the girls that has really helped focus the team and turn us around," Collins said. "Her leadership as a junior along with a couple of sophomores that we had last year was part of a core group that enabled us to have the success that we had last year."

Besides her offense, Dobbs was solid behind the plate last year. She threw out six base runners trying to steal second and didn't allow very many passed balls to get by her while starting every game Lincoln played. Collins said Dobbs' vocal leadership is a constant whether the Lady Wolves are ahead or trailing or in the midst of a team workout.

"In practice she's encouraging the girls to keep working," Collins said.