By Lucas Rains
LocalSportsJournal.com

ALLENDALE – It’s been four years since Jamie Potts ended his spectacular run as a three-sport star at Oakridge High School.

He was a standout in football, basketball and baseball, and left a legacy LSJ Logo incertthat Oakridge fans still talk about.

As a senior on the baseball team, he hit a whopping .584 with 38 RBIs and 34 stolen bases.

Oakridge grad and GVSU baseball star Jamie Potts

Oakridge grad and GVSU baseball star Jamie Potts.

That monster season earned Potts All-State honors for the third straight season. He also helped Oakridge advance to the state semifinals for the second straight year.

Of course Potts went on to become an All-American in baseball and football at Grand Valley State University.

He’s currently wrapping up his final baseball season, which is turning out to be one of his best.

As of last week he was hitting a sizzling .382 with 27 RBIs and 27 runs through 37 games. He’s been a key force in the Lakers’ push for a GLIAC baseball championship.

Potts still thinks about his high school years, and says his experience at Oakridge prepared him for success at the collegiate level.

“High school was really important for me,” said Potts, who plays right field for GVSU. “I had a lot of pressure to do well and I was put in a lot of situations to help the team out. I think it definitely prepared me from a competitive aspect.”

As a freshman on the GVSU baseball squad, he was mainly a platoon player, but still turned in a solid first year. He earned GLIAC All-Tournament honors for his postseason play.

Potts has made a name for himself at GVSU with his bat. Photo/Kevin Sielaff

Potts has made a name for himself at GVSU with his bat. Photo/Kevin Sielaff

He started to make a name for himself in his sophomore season. He finished with a .379 batting average and had 21 multi-hit games.

In the Midwest Regional Championship game, he sent the Lakers to the NCAA Division II World Series with a game-winning hit. He was also named the tournament MVP.

Last year he led the team in batting average, runs, hits, doubles and triples and earned Daktronics first team All-American honors. Potts started all 52 games and did not commit an error in 123 chances in the field.

As the 2015 season enters its final stretch, Potts has helped the Lakers (24-13, 16-8 GLIAC) win nine of its last 11 games and remain in first place in the league championship race.

“I’ve been really fortunate to have accomplished so much in my career,” Potts said. “It was an exciting time being able to experience a College World Series. But hopefully I’m not done yet. I still want to win a championship before I leave Grand Valley.”

Potts’ reliable performance, season after season, has gained the respect of GVSU baseball coach Jamie Detillion.

“He has just gotten better and better every year for us,” Detillion said. “He’s just a winner and a really talented player. He’s one of a few guys on our team that we can count on to get on base and drive in runs.”

Potts is fueled by a competitive drive to put himself and his team in the best possible position to win.

“I want to have the mentality that I’m never feeling satisfied, and I want do my best to get better every day,” Potts said. “Regardless of individual awards, I just want to be the best I can be for myself and my teammates.”

Detillion has watched Potts’ offensive game evolve over his four years with the Lakers.

“Don’t get me wrong, he could always hit the ball,” Detillion explained. “But I just think he got more comfortable in certain situations, especially stepping up against some of the better pitchers we face.”

The Lakers have nine regular season games left before the GLIAC tournament, and Potts has high aspirations before his career at GVSU is over.

“We’d like to finish strong because it’s kind of been an up and down season, he said. “We want to make it to another World Series. We have the talent to do it, we just have to get hot at the right time.”