The Houston Lady Tigers softball team spent a portion of Monday’s practice stuffing styrofoam cups into the outfield fence. They spelled a simple message: “GET WELL! #7 L.T.”
The tribute honors teammate Lindsey Tarrants, who was moderately injured in a fatal accident Friday night on U.S. 63 near Souls Harbor that killed A’ndrea White, a 17-year-old senior at Houston High School.
Tarrants survived. But she has several injuries, including a broken pelvis, that will require a long rehabilitation. She will miss the remainder of the softball season.
The Lady Tigers skipped Saturday’s tournament in Bakersville to visit Tarrants at a Springfield hospital. They also postponed Tuesday’s game at Mountain Grove and will not play Thursday. All high school and middle school games were postponed Thursday. White’s funeral is at 2 p.m. inside Hiett Gymnasium.
The team returned to practice Monday and will likely return to the field for the first time since the accident this weekend at the Dixon Tournament.
“This is a very tough time for everyone here,” said Houston coach Willy Walker. “The team lost a classmate that they spent time with after games and away from softball.”
Walker has visited Tarrants, the team’s starting catcher and one of its top hitters, four times since the accident. When she is released from the hospital, Tarrants will be transferred to a rehabilitation center in Mount Vernon.
“Lyndsey is a very strong person that is on her road to recovery,” Walker said. “Lyndsey wasn’t quite herself and was in pain, but she managed to put smiles on all her teammates’ faces, just like she did every day at practice.”
Walker said the Lady Tigers have dedicated the rest of the season to Tarrants. They will wear #7 stickers on their helmets and yellow and red bows – the colors of Tarrant’s favorite outfit that earned her the nickname “Happy Meal” – in their hair.
“At the beginning of the year we set goals as a team and plan on accomplishing those goals,” Walker said. “Lyndsey was an intricate part of our team and our team’s success. We will continue to work and play hard to achieve our team’s goals.”