Perryville falls victim to gem in 3A playoffs

Perryville's Lady Pirates were no match for a perfect performance.

Lutheran South junior Kamin Hawkins hurled a perfect game to propel the Lady Lancers to a 5-0 win over Perryville in Class 3A quarterfinal softball at Arena Park Tuesday.

"When you get to this level, once in a while you'll see a pitcher like that. She's the best I've seen in the 10 years I've been coaching," said Perryville coach Lynn O'Neal, whose team finished at 16-14.

Hawkins (18-5) was dominating, virtually unhittable. She struck out 14, a personal high, and only Amanda Nuyt's slicing looper down the right field line got to the outfield grass.

Asked if it was her best outing ever, the grinning Hawkins said, "Definitely, definitely!"

Perryville's Amanda Roth, the losing pitcher, held the Lady Lancers in check for the first four innings of the scoreless contest, allowing only four hits.

But in the fifth, Lutheran South (24-5) busted loose for five runs on seven hits.

"We were right there. Our timing was just a little bit off, but when we settled in we started ripping her," said Lutheran South coach Linda McQueen,

RBI singles by Karen Weatherly and Maggie Auble followed by RBI doubles from Laura Amundson and Kim Sheets were key hits in the big fifth inning.

Every starter had at least one hit in Lutheran South's 15-hit attack, led by the 3-for-4, two-RBI day for Amundson.

"Once that second run crossed the plate that pretty well assured that it was going to be very tough from that point," said O'Neal. "You can always get fortunate and they can make a mistake and you score a run, but once it gets past that first run, it's really tough."

With Hawkins at her best, it would prove to be impossible.

Lutheran South, third in state in 1996, 1998 and 1999, advanced to the semifinal round for the fourth time in six years.

Said McQueen, " This is pretty amazing for a team to go to state four out of six years. The players change, but yet they keep the tradition of playing good solid, fundamental ball and working as a team."

"We just have a great team chemistry, whether they're on the bench cheering or whatever, it's just a great team chemistry and that's what makes this team."

Perryville, winners of four straight district championships, found some solace in defeat as they became the first team in school history to capture softball championships at the conference, district and sectional levels in one season.

"But what I'm most proud of," said O'Neal, "is that when Lutheran South took that 5-0 lead, my players probably knew that it was over, but they played on pride, sucked it up and played hard the rest of the game and shut 'em down the rest of the way."