Nov. 30, 2011

Read the Q&A session, where Kaitlin and Lauren answered questions and then responded how they thought the other would answer.

by Bernice Woodard
Athletic Media Relations Student Assistant

When recruiting student-athletes, coaches always hope to find good fits in both talent and personalities to make their roster better. One of the best outfield fits of all time at South Carolina have been seniors Lauren Lackey and Kaitlin Westfall, who quickly grew to become best friends and have matured into two of the team’s top players.

A California native, Lackey says South Carolina feels like home due in large part to the second family she has found with her softball teammates and coaches. Lackey always knew that she wanted to attend college away from her home in California. “I wanted to go out of state because I saw it as a four-year vacation,” said Lackey. I knew that I could always go back (to California).”

While swapping coast in pursuit of her softball dreams, she found a best friend among her new teammates. From the start, Lackey and Westfall have been inseparable, learning how many things they have in common despite growing up in different places.

“We thought it was crazy when we first met, we felt like we were reading each other’s mind,” stated Lackey. “We couldn’t believe we were two people who practically thought the same things all of the time and had the same interests.

The two were quizzed in a series of 10 questions each to see how many questions they could get right about each other on GamecocksOnline.com (which you can read here). After her interview, Westfall asked how Lackey responded when answering questions about her favorite food. Lackey stated Westfall’s favorite food was ribs and Westfall responded, “Ribs! Lauren was right. She knows me better than I know myself.”

The feeling of family on the softball team extends to more than just Lackey and Westfall. Both have stated that they feel like they have found a second family in both their coaches and teammates during their time at the University of South Carolina, which has been a point of emphasis since Beverly Smith took over the program in the fall of 2010.

“I would say that having a home away from home since she (Lackey) is across country at school here, and having a second family here and feeling comfortable (is her favorite thing about playing softball at South Carolina),” said Westfall.

Their tight bond that has developed over the last four years can be seen in their play. The two say that they have no problems when they are on the field together. The duo plays side-by-side, with Lackey in center and Westfall in left. Their ability to know what the other one is thinking allows them to be completely comfortable in the outfield together.

“I have never played with somebody on the field that I have connected with like this and it has helped so much,” said Lackey. “I know as soon as the ball is hit if she can get to it or if I need to get to it. As far as communication, we don’t even have to speak and we know exactly who is going to take the ball and vice versa. It has helped a lot being that close and playing next to each other.”

The duo really came into their own in 2011, with both posting much improved offensive numbers. Lackey led the Gamecocks with her .350 batting average, while Westfall topped the team with a .473 slugging percentage. Westfall led the squad with five homers, while Lackey paced the group with four triples and added an inside-the-park home run as well. Both played stellar defense as well, making one error each in over 80 chances.

After graduating from her four-year “vacation,” Lackey plans to move back to California and look for a job to gain experience in the sport nutrition field. She also plans to attend graduate school somewhere in California in the next few years. Both Lackey and Westfall said that they plan to stay in contact and visiting each other when they no longer live in the same part of the country is a must.

Before graduating at the end of this year, Lackey voiced team goals that she wanted to accomplish in her last season.

“We want to make postseason without a doubt. We don’t want to be satisfied with just making the SEC tournament,” commented Lackey “We want to win this year. We want to have a winning record. We want to go to the postseason and just show everybody what South Carolina softball is becoming.”

This story originally appeared in the 2011 South Carolina Football Game Program – The Citadel edition.