Class 2A softball: Lamar County powers past North Sand Mountain for first championship

Lamar County made a statement on the biggest stage, capturing the program's first-ever state softball championship with a dominant performance in Oxford.

A Historic Victory for the Bulldogs

The No. 2 ranked Bulldogs out of Vernon wasted no time asserting their will on Thursday, cruising to a 10-0, five-inning victory over No. 10 North Sand Mountain. Both programs entered the matchup chasing their first state title, but it was Lamar County that successfully turned that ambition into reality.

"It feels great, especially as a senior. There’s no better way to go out," said Lamar County catcher Lynley Butts. "I’ve never made it to the second day of state, I’ve never made it anywhere close to a state championship. So, it just feels great."

Dominance in the Circle and at the Plate

While the offense put up double-digit runs, it was eighth-grade pitcher Harper Myers who truly stole the show. Myers was lights out in her five innings of shutout work, allowing only one hit and a single walk while striking out eight batters. Her performance capped off a marathon day that saw her toss a shutout against Sumiton Christian and log eight innings against top-ranked J.U. Blacksher earlier in the day.

"That’s my best friend," Butts said of her pitcher. "She’s my favorite. She loves me, and all year long, we just pick each other up. When I was being negative, she was positive. We just picked each other up. It’s great."

Offensively, Butts led the charge with a 3-for-4 performance that included a triple and two RBIs. Madison Beard was equally effective, driving in a game-high three runs, while Emma Collins contributed a triple and two runs scored from the leadoff spot.

Stat Sheet & Context

Lamar County notables: In addition to the big days from Butts and Beard, Myers and Maci Hill each crossed the plate twice to contribute to the lopsided victory. North Sand Mountain notables: Alexia Kirkpatrick provided the lone highlight for the Bison, recording the team's only hit—a single in the first inning.

Lamar County’s championship run continues a trend of parity in the classification. According to 205focus.com, this marks the fifth different team to claim the Class 2A title in as many years. The Bulldogs join a recent list of winners that includes Zion Chapel (2025), Wicksburg (2024), Hatton (2023), and Orange Beach, which secured back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022 before shifting to 4A.

For seniors like Butts, the win was the perfect final chapter to a high school career. "It’s my last game ever. I’m not playing in college, I wanted to go and I wanted to win my last game ever, and that’s what we did," Butts said.