The Lathrop Lady Mules rode the right arm of junior Brooke Huitt, and a late-game two-run rally, to a 2-0 win over KCI Conference rival Hamilton on Saturday, advancing once-beaten Lathrop into the Class 2 semifinals for the third year in a row (Lathrop won the state title in 2015 and finished fourth a year ago).
The game between the Hornets and Mules turned into the anticipated pitching duel, before Lathrop struck in the top of the sixth inning. A Madi Schatz double put runners on second and third with no outs, with the Lady Mules putting runs on the board on a fielders choice grounder by Chey Cochran and an RBI single by Bailey Piper. Huitt slammed the door on Penney over the final two frames for the win.
Lathrop, now 27-1 on the season, will play 27-5 Blair Oaks on Friday morning at 10 o’clock in a Class 2 state semifinal from the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield. In the other state semifinal, 23-6 Kelly will battle 24-4 Bowling Green. Penney High of Hamilton, having beaten Lexington and Trenton in district play, and then Macon in sectional play, ends the season at 19-6.
One spot remains in the softball semifinals on Friday, with North Harrison and Maysville unable to play their Class 1 state quarterfinal on Saturday due to rain and unplayable field conditiions. The game between the Shamrocks and Wolverines will be played on Monday night at 5:30 from Maysville. The winner will play 19-5 Canton in the state semifinals. Chaffee, at 18-11, will play 20-7 Pilot Grove in the other Class 1 semifinal.
In Class 3, Smithville hammered Pleasant Hill on Saturday, 18-3, rolling into the state semifinals and a meeting with 20-8 Pleasant Hill at 11 o’clock on Friday night. On the other side of the bracket, 26-3 Notre Dame of Cape Girardeau will duel with 23-6 Incarnate Word Academy.
