This article was originally published with The Red & Black on April 22, 2015 and can be found here.

Passing the bat to the next player has been the mantra for the Georgia Bulldogs this season, but sometimes it’s been bringing in extra speed that has helped the Bulldogs win ballgames.

One of Georgia’s go-to pinch runners of late has been outfielder Samantha LaZear. LaZear, a junior from Comer has started 38 games this season but has had her role shifted a bit as the season has winded down. While she has accrued a .338 batting average and has stolen 10 bases on 10 attempts, LaZear faced the challenge of fighting for playing time.

LaZear slowly established herself as one of the first players to come off the bench in recent weeks. She has made appearances in five of Georgia’s last six games as a substitute on the base paths that can deliver some much-needed extra speed. Her established effectiveness in the outfield as well has made her the type of player that any coach can pull and plug into the game when the time is right.

For LaZear, the chance to play in any situation is enough to satisfy her.

“You just want to do whatever you can to help the team,” LaZear said. “You play whatever role you can just so the team can win and have success.”

Senior outfielder Adele Harrison can relate to LaZear’s strategy of doing the little things to help out. Harrison has played an important role for Georgia despite not starting a single game in her final year with the team. While the large amount of talent in the outfield shuffled Harrison’s intended role around, it doesn’t overshadow her intent to perform to the best of her ability.

“I think you just have to have the right mindset,” Harrison said. “You just have to be focused on what you have to do and just focus on scoring, mainly.”

A player having a reserve role can be frustrating, but Harrison sees it in a different light. It’s vitally important that she follows the game closely and understands the tendencies that the opposing pitcher and defense have shown. After all, she could be called upon at any point, and being placed in an unprepared position can be disastrous.

“I just know what I’m going to do before it happens,” Harrison said. “I can get in the right mindset from the feel of the game and having energy in the dugout. It pays off when you go on the field.”

Although the roles for both LaZear and Harrison have varied through the year, the two have excelled in the chances they were offered. The team-first strategy of handling lineup configurations has kept Georgia afloat and has the Bulldogs believing that their success will exceed the end of the regular season.

“That’s the sign of a good teammate,” Georgia head coach Lu Harris-Champer said. “They put the team before their own personal ego. I think that’s really remarkable and outstanding.”

Home runs and powerful base hits have been an integral part of some of the Bulldogs big wins this year. However, it is the team’s success in base running that has truly kept Georgia competitive.

Through 48 games, Georgia has stolen 105 bases and has only been caught stealing eight times. The team’s 2.19 steals per contest ranks eighth in the nation, seven spots higher than the next Southeastern Conference member. The numbers make it apparent that the roster boasts speed from the top of the batting order with the Emanuel sisters all the way to the players that patiently wait for their chance.

LaZear relishes in the thought of boosting her ballclub thanks to her quick feet. The idea is enough to make each improvised appearance worthwhile.

“It seems like a lot of the focus can be on home runs,” LaZear said. “It’s always nice when speed gets brought up.”