‘We just had each other’s back.’ Freshman ace leads Rowan County to state softball semis.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the top of the fifth inning in the 2023 Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Softball State quarterfinals matchup between Rowan County and Johnson Central when the Golden Eagles tied the game with a pair of runs before the Vikings pulled out a 4-3 victory.

Until the fifth, the Vikings had been leading 3-1, shutting out Johnson Central after allowing a first-inning run and answering with three of their own in the second and third innings.

Rowan County pitcher Trinity Lambert had settled in after that first inning and zeroed in on the game plan. But a pair of fifth-inning runs, the first batted in by Johnson Central’s Adyson Burchett and the second arriving via a Rowan County error, evened the matchup.

“We went out there and we played the best game that we could,” Lambert said. “We made a few errors and we just had each other’s back. And one of the goals, before the season started, we put on the board was giving 110% every pitch, every batter, every play. And I think we went out there and did the best that we could having each other’s back. And picking each other up if somebody’s not having too great of a game.”

Lambert, only a freshman, managed to close out the fifth inning without allowing Johnson Central to take the lead.

The Golden Eagles were playing to reach their first softball state semifinals. According to Johnson Central head coach Phillip Estep, the energy in his dugout leading up to that final out in the fifth was palpable.

“Oh, it was great,” Estep said. “And the fans were loud. And you know, I always say, the KHSAA, they have to love whenever Johnson Central is in any state tournament because we always have a good following. … The fans were into it, the dugout was into it. I just wish we could have got one or two more in a couple of those situations, but that’s the way it is. Hats off to Rowan County.”

Though it got tight, Rowan County head coach Larry Slone wasn’t worried about the Johnson Central push.

“I trusted my pitcher,” Slone said. “Because I walked them loaded. And she’s been able to throw strikes and get them out since we’ve done that. And I had all the confidence in the world in her. And, if they did hit it, I felt like we’d make the play.”

Slone has every reason to believe in Lambert. Over seven innings, she struck out 12 batters and allowed seven hits and three runs.

“I just try to take it one pitch at a time,” Lambert said. “I know the girls got my back, so I just try to go out there and do my part. Try to cancel out the noise and just pretend it’s me and (catcher) Lauryn (Eastham) back there. Try to work around the batters. Take it one pitch, one batter at a time.”

Rowan County got a seventh-inning walk-off run when Kassi Perkins hit an RBI single to bring home Malana Hamm.

Perkins and Hamm led the team in hits, combining for five to go with three runs. The pair proved vital to the Vikings’ offense when Rowan County star and Murray State basketball signee Haven Ford was limited to a single hit due to Johnson Central walking her three of the four times she stepped up to the plate.

“I know that whether they walk me, intentionally walk me or just put me on,” Ford explained, “I know that I have teammates behind me that can drive in just as many runs, that can hit just as good. And so, when I get walked I don’t look at it as an ‘aw man,’ situation. I’m like ‘this is good, this is great.’ Because I know that they can knock me in.”

Where Ford did make waves, however, was in stolen bases. She and Hamm contributed two apiece. According to the KHSAA, Ford has more than 45 stolen base attempts. She has been successful every time.



“It’s a great tool that I have because it puts you in scoring position,” Ford said. “You ain’t gotta get up and hit a double, you can just take the walk and move to the next base.”

Ford, the 2023 Miss Kentucky Basketball winner, has a packed schedule next weekend. The Vikings will face Ballard on Friday, June 9, at 11 a.m. and then head to the Sportscenter in Owensboro to participate in the Kentucky-Indiana all-stars basketball series.

“As of now,” Ford said. “My plan is, we’re going to play the softball game on Friday and then head up to the basketball. May be late, may come up five minutes maybe into the game, but I’ve made commitments to both and so I’m going to try to honor those as best I can.”

Ford and her Rowan County teammates are elated to keep the win streak rolling, particularly since this is the Vikings’ first trip to the state tournament since 2008.

East Jessamine 1, Daviess County 0: A sixth-inning home run from East Jessamine pitcher Kayleigh White made the difference in the Jaguars’ quarterfinal matchup against Daviess County and propelled East Jessamine to its first state semifinals appearance.

“I think that’s when we all got nervous,” East Jessamine head coach Kevin Dennis said. “When she hit it, then we really knew we had a shot the way she was throwing the ball and how everybody was playing defense.”

White, a Murray State commit, was also dominant on defense, anchoring East Jessamine in the circle. She struck out seven batters and allowed only one hit while shutting out the Panthers over seven innings.

According to Dennis, White and University of Pikeville committed catcher Maddie Horn are a winning pair.

“I think we’ve got one of the best pitcher and catcher combinations in the state,” Dennis said. “And we just keep playing and doing our jobs.”

The only Daviess County hit arrived in the bottom of the third, when Kayley Payne singled.

Raylee Roby pitched for Daviess County, striking out 15 batters and allowing one run on three hits.

This is East Jessamine’s first state softball appearance since 2016, but its tradition is strong. The Jaguars also reached the tournament in 2011 and from 2014-16 and picked up wins in each of those years.

“We don’t think we’re an underdog, but everybody else does,” Dennis said. “… even years back when we were one of the top teams in the state nobody gives us a lot of credit. So, we just go out and play and the girls go out and do their jobs every day.”

Ballard 4, Greenwood 1: It took 11 innings to decide which of these teams would advance to the semifinals. Saturday’s quarterfinal was not dissimilar to the first time Ballard and Greenwood clashed this season, in an 11-inning grind on April 14 that also resulted in a Ballard victory.

Ballard was first on the scoreboard, when, in the fifth inning, Kady Dennis hit a sacrifice fly to center that sent home Kierstyn Smith. Greenwood tied the game at the bottom of the sixth when Lydia Kirby hit an RBI single to knock in Savannah White.

The game remained at a 1-1 standstill until the top of the 11th, when the Bruins tacked on two additional runs on back-to-back singles from Mikayla Milby and Macy McCoy. The Gators were unable to answer in their half of the inning.

Ballard’s Brooke Gray struck out 16 batters over 11 innings, allowing just one run on six hits. Greenwood’s Kayden Murray struck out two batters, allowing four runs on seven hits.

Henderson County 7, Central Hardin 0: Henderson County started strong at the bottom of the first with a two-run homer from Taylor Troutman, giving the Colonels an early 2-0 lead.

The Colonels added two more in the bottom of the third with back-to-back doubles from Kendal Hargrove and JaMaya Byrum, and they poured it on in the fifth inning when consecutive singles from Byrum and Hallie McCracken put Henderson County up 6-0. Mackenzie Burczyk batted in the Colonels’ seventh and final run on a sacrifice fly.

Henderson County pitcher Anna Kemp shut out the Bruins, allowing just two hits on 92 pitches and striking out seven batters.