Lamar Lady Softball No-Hit by Lake View Lady Gators
By Don Gearhart
Fresh off a sweep in the Lower State District 5 Class A playoffs, the Lamar Lady Silver Foxes travelled to Lake View to take on the Lady Wild Gators in the Lower State Championship bracket. After shutting down their opponents while scoring 26 runs and only surrendering 6 in the series, Lamar faced a determined Lake View pitcher in Raven Locklear. When the dust cleared, Locklear and her teammates advanced with a 2-0 win.
Lamar only managed two base runners. Walks to Kelly Anderson in the second inning and Dakota Melancon in the seventh were the only blemishes to Locklear’s no-hit performance as she struck out nine batters and only walked the aforementioned two batters.
Abby McManus stood tall in the circle for Lamar as well. The freshman hurler allowed the two runs on just five hits while striking out five and walking three. Lake View struck for a run in the third inning when Zandaisia McNeill singled to start the inning and eventually scored on Spivey Evan’s RBI single.
The Lady Wild Gators doubled their lead in the sixth when Azaleigh Arnette walked with two outs and scored when Holly Scott’s base hit to left was misplayed.
Lamar turned two double plays to limit the Lake View offense but succumbed to an excellent pitching performance by Locklear.
Lamar now faces Hannah-Pamplico on May 16. They lost regular season games to Hannah-Pamlico by scores of 9-3 and 15-2.