When Lamar State College Port Arthur’s softball program went in search of a new assistant coach, it was looking for someone who knows how to win.

The Seahawks found that in Brittany Baker.

Baker, who spent her high school and college years in Ohio, found her way to Southeast Texas as a graduate assistant for the Lamar University softball team. When the position of assistant coach came open this season at LSCPA, she knew right away she wanted to head to Port Arthur.

“I had a great experience at Lamar University and the people in this region are really great, they’re great softball fans,” Baker said. “I knew the two assistant coaches here at Lamar State and they let me know that Port Arthur is a great place to be.”

Baker joins Head Coach Vance Edwards, who is in his 19^th season leading the Seahawks.

A graduate of Springboro High School in Ohio, Baker spent four years setting softball records at Bluffton University, a Division III school located in northwest Ohio. Her name is still scattered through the Beavers’ record book. During her time there, she had the most hits in a game, most runs batted in during a game and led her team in batting average during the 2014-15 campaign with a .330 mark. During her time at Bluffton, the Beavers had a 95-68 record over four seasons.

She is a two-time Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference honoree, earning first team honors in 2014. She was a four-time HCAC all-academic honoree.

Baker graduated from Bluffton as the 2015 Distinguished Scholar after earning the top grade point average in the Sports Management program.

After having played four seasons for then-Head Coach Heather Bruder at Bluffton, it was no surprise that Baker would find her way to Beaumont as a graduate assistant. Lamar University’s head coach, Holly Bruder, is the twin sister of Heather.

“Holly really taught me to concentrate on the little things as well as the big picture where the team is concerned,” Baker said. “And, she really showed me how to nurture players as players on the field as well as in an athlete’s approach to their personal goals.”

Although her expertise is in hitting, Baker said she has seen some of the best pitching in the country, which gives her an insight into what works in the pitcher’s circle.

“I had the benefit of facing some of the top pitchers in the country and from that, I’m able to convey exactly what it is that works best against different types of hitters,” she explained.