Lamkin's perfecto sends Lady Patriots to state tournament

For the past few weeks, the Henry County High School girls' softball team has been marking off entries on their preseason list of goals:

•  Win the district and district tournament championships — double check.

•  Repeat as the region champions — check.

•  Throw a perfect game while winning the sectional tournament game at home to advance to the state tournament for the second straight season —  another check.

Well, the Lady Patriots weren't counting on senior Celia Lamkin retiring all 21 Houston Mustangs hitters she faced on Sunday during a 9-0 sectional tournament win at the HCHS softball field. Lamkin had 12 strikeouts while walking no batters. The Lady Patriots' defense backed her up by fielding the handful of grounders and popups in the contest that Lamkin finished off with three strikeouts in the top of the seventh inning.

Henry County's offense backed the strong pitching by belting out 13 hits and drawing two walks in scoring the nine runs. Lady Patriot Andie Barrett had four hits in four at bats, including a triple and two doubles. Layne Latimer had a double among two hits while Alley French also had two hits. Maddie Moroni contributed three stolen bases as the team's primary courtesy runner.

Henry County advances to its second straight Class 4A state tournament appearance. The Lady Patriots will meet Knoxville Halls at 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon in Murfreesboro. The Lady Patriots went 2-2 at the state tournament last year and placed fourth in the program's third appearance in Murfreesboro.

Sunday's victory did not come as easily as all that seems. Play actually began on Saturday afternoon with Lamkin running up a three ball and two strike count to the leadoff batter. Two foul balls later, a lightning strike nearby chased the teams into the locker room and shortly after a hard rain postponed the game until Sunday. The rain would stop after just more than 30 minutes but the field was too wet to play after rains earlier in the week had soaked the surface.

Parents, fans and school employees had worked hard prior to Saturday's start to make the field playable and went back to work when the rain stopped on Saturday. A large group returned Sunday to make sure the field was ready to go.

"I'm so proud of how the girls came back out ready to play today," Lady Patriot head coach Renae Lassiter said after the Sunday's victory. "It would have been easy to have a letdown after getting ready to go on Saturday and then having to come back today. And what do you say about Celia? She threw a perfect game after having to start with a three-two count today. She has just been a warrior all four years she has been here. I was so proud of her getting a hit in her final at-bat on this field and for her to be able to throw a perfect game to send us to the state tournament. Wow."

Lassiter said none of it would have been possible without the contributions of the people who helped make the field playable.

"I can't say enough about the support we have received the last two days from parents, fans and school personnel in helping us get the field ready for us to play this game. People worked so hard for us. It has really been unbelievable. Then to have so many stay and support throughout the game. I mean it sounded and felt like a football game out here tonight. The girls really thrive on that. I hope everyone can continue to support us in Murfreesboro this week," said Lassiter.

Henry County got on the scoreboard in the second inning when Barrett reached safely on a swinging bunt. Moroni ran for her and would later score on a wild pitch.

The Lady Patriots added four runs in the third inning on run-scoring hits by Barrett, Reed Jackson and French. Latimer contributed a sacrifice fly to score another run.

Latimer drove in another run in the fifth inning to give Henry County a 6-0 lead. The Lady Patriots closed out scoring in the bottom of the sixth frame with Lamkin, Jackson and Barrett knocking in runs to make the final score 9-0.

LEAVING FOR MURFREESBORO

The Lady Patriots now head to the state tournament in Murfreesboro for the second year in a row. The team's bus will leave the HCHS softball parking lot at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The bus will come down the HCHS parking lot by the fieldhouse, turn right onto Wilson Street toward Rhea Elementary School, then turn left on Lone Oak Road to Volunteer Drive, making their way by Paris Elementary School.

Students from those three schools will cheer them on! The bus will then proceed down Volunteer Drive and Highway 641 to Camden.

"We'd love to have our community to cheer them on as well! Roll Red Roll!," said HCHS principal Michele Webb.