Community poses on the infield at Camden Central after securing a return trip to the Class 2A state tournament next week in Murfreesboro. (Submitted Photo)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
CAMDEN — Leaving the field after the Region 5-2A loss to backyard rival Forrest left a bad taste in the Community Viqueens’ mouth.
That loss may have been the best medicine for the Purple and Gold, who rode an eight-game win-streak into the region championship.
Although the region title went to the Lady Rockets, Community refocused and fell back to its bread and butter, crushing Camden Central in Friday afternoon’s Class 2A state sectional with a 7-0 shutout win.
Back to prime form, starting pitcher Annie Prince was simply dominant.
“That loss to Forrest is really what we needed because it jarred everyone back into the mindset of what we needed,” Viqueen coach Cam Farrell said.
“Annie was awesome. She responded.”
In the region championship, Prince didn’t put forth her usual dominant performance and was lifted mid-way through the region championship.
“Responded” might be an understatement.
The sectional game was Prince’s and Camden Central had no answers for her effort from the circle.
Prince pitched a two-hit shutout and struck out a staggering 16 batters to claim the win.
But the Viqueen starting pitcher wasn’t the only bounce back effort.
The Community batting order answered the bell and hammered Camden to the tune of 12 hits, three of which went for doubles.
Of the total seven Viqueens that recorded hits, five recorded multiple hits in the win. .
A RBI double by Mattie Maxey put Community on the board in the top of the third.
And from there, it was just add on for the Purple and Gold.
Taylar Wessner stole home in the fourth and Haylee Webb was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.
Senior Carlie Blanton drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a 4-0 Community lead before Kamryn Farrell crushed a line drive to center field, scoring Wessner for a 5-0 Community lead.
The Viqueens played add on and plated a single run in the sixth and seventh innings for the final margin of victory.
From top to bottom, Community responded after the disappointing region loss to Forrest earlier in the week.
“We had a great practice. You look up Camden and they’ve hammered some people. And they have a bunch of kids that can hit the ball,” Farrell said.
Camden Central entered as the Region 6-2A champion after defeating Huntingdon 11-4 in the region title game.
After the Viqueens fell in their region title game, Community rallied and the rest was history.
Camden entered the state sectional hitting well, but Prince surrendered just two hits to the Lady Lions.
In total, seven Viqueens recorded hits in the sectional round, five of which recorded two hits.
Alana Tate, Anna Haskins and Mattie Maxey each recorded two-baggers in the dominant sectional win.
With Friday’s win, Community makes a return to the Class 2A state tournament after falling short in the sectional round against Cheatham County last season.
The return trip to the Class 2A state tournament marks the third trip to Murfreesboro for the state tournament in four seasons.
Farrell said that been-there experience will be invaluable for the Purple and Gold next week in Murfreesboro.
“If they can lock in and not try to do too much, they would dominate offensively. And everything doesn’t come easy, we just have to take their time and get what we can get.
That’s what they did tonight. They stayed focused. They just got up there and hit,” he said.
“It’s going to be big. My seniors—this is their third time going. They know what to expect and have been talking to the younger ones and telling them this is what we’re going to do and this is how things work.”
Community is primed for perhaps its best state tournament run in school history with the most complete lineup the school has seen.
“We have got to play softball our way and we have to focus and lock in. The talent is there. It’s all the other stuff that comes with it. They have to stay out of their heads and take care of what’s in front of them. If we can do that, I think we’ll be fine,” Farrell said.
Community 001 131 1 — 7 12 0
Camden Central 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
Community: Anna Haskins 2-for-4, Mattie Maxey 2-for-4, Taylar Wessner 1-for-3, Haylee Webb 2-for-3, Carlie Blanton 1-for-2, Kamryn Farrell 2-for-3, Alana Tate 2-for-3.
WP: Prince
