GORHAM – Thornton Academy graduate and Saco native Ben Lambert was named the Little East Conference Pitcher of the Year on Tuesday for his excellence on the mound during his junior season at the University of Southern Maine.
University of Southern Maine’s Ben Lambert fires a pitch to home plate during a baseball game this season. Lambert, a Thornton Academy graduate and a Saco resident, was named the Little East Conference Pitcher of the Year on Tuesday for his efforts on the mound throughout the season. (JASON JOHNS/USM ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHER)
A vote by various head coaches decided the conference’s annual end-of-the-season awards and all-conference team.
“It means a lot because there’s a lot of good pitchers both on our team and around the league,” said Lambert. “It’s an honor to be able to say that I got the pitcher of the year.”
Lambert led the Little East Conference in wins and ERA and fifth in strikeouts.
In 10 appearances this season, nine starts, the right-hander finished with a 9-0 record and a 1.14 ERA. In 63 innings of work, Lambert has allowed only 41 hits and 27 walks while striking out 62. Hitters are batting just .182 against him.
Lambert graduated from Thornton Academy in 2016 and credits his success on the mound to his Trojans roots.
“TA definitely helped me out a lot,” he said. “In high school, I didn’t just play baseball, I played football and basketball, too, and the whole atmosphere around Thornton Academy sports is about teaching you how to win.”
During Lambert’s time at Thornton Academy, he received two all-state selections in baseball, the Edson Hadlock Award (top pitcher in SMAA), all-state in football and was twice an honorable mention all-conference in basketball.
Lambert may not be a Trojan anymore but his support system hasn’t changed: The family members who show up to all of Lambert’s games at Thornton Academy still come to all of his USM competitions.
“My parents and my grandparents are always at all the games,” said Lambert. “They’re always supportive of me.”
With Lambert’s help, the Huskies accumulated a 34-7 record and won the Little East Conference regular season title with a 14-2 conference mark.
The Huskies will host an NCAA regional tournament today at Flaherty Field. USM takes on New England College (25-15) in the opening game of the four-team, double-elimination tournament at noon.
Lambert believes the Huskies can accomplish even more than they already have.
“We’ve got a great team,” he said. “We’re all more brothers then we are teammates. We also have the best coaching staff, I think in the country.”
— Sports Writer Sienna Barstow can be reached at sbarstow@journaltribune.com or at 780-9018. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports
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