Lady Wolves Split Second Day at Sun Chief Classic

GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Co-Lin Softball team continued their appearance at the Sun Chief Classic with a pair of games on Saturday, February 19. The Lady Wolves split the games losing to Shelton State, 5-4, and then beating Coastal Alabama East, 8-0, in a game that featured a combined no-hitter by the Lady Wolves pitching staff.

Game One

The first two innings between Co-Lin and Shelton State were scoreless, but the Lady Wolves started the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of third inning. After a leadoff walk by Josie Meggs (Kosciusko), Faith Kivett (Tallulah, La.) and Shelbi Maxwell (Wesson) hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Meggs and Kivett then scored on a two-RBI single by Maddie Weeks (Clinton) to give the Lady Wolves a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Wolves then increased the lead to 3-0 with a solo run in the fourth as Lila Blackburn (Red Bay, Ala.) hit a lead-off double, advanced to third on a groundout, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Meggs. The Lady Wolves continued to hold Shelton State off the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth as they cut the Lady Wolves lead down to 3-2 with a pair of runs.

The Lady Wolves responded with a solo run in the top of the seventh as Maxwell hit a lead-off single and then scored on an RBI double by Weeks giving the Lady Wolves a 4-2 lead. Shelton State then scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh hitting a triple with the bases loaded and beating the Lady Wolves, 5-4.

Shelbi Maxwell and Maddie Weeks both had multi-hit games with three and two hits respectively while Weeks also added three RBIs during the game. Faith Kivett, Madalyn Wilkinson (Madison), Cera Blanchard (Metarie, La.), Mary Ansley Chrestman (Cleveland, Miss.), and Lila Blackburn had one hit each.

Cera Blanchard got the start in the circle for the Lady Wolves and picked up her first loss of the season falling to 3-1. Blanchard five runs, two earned, on eight hits with six strikeouts and one walk.

Game Two

The Lady Wolves wasted no time in gaining an early lead as they plated a solo run in the first inning as Faith Kivett drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on a single by Shelbi Maxwell and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Maddie Weeks making the score 1-0.

The Lady Wolves increased their lead to 2-0 with a single run in the third inning as Weeks hit a one-out triple and then later scored on a passed ball. The big inning for the Lady Wolves came in the form of a four-run top of the fourth as Lila Blackburn drew a lead-off walk followed up with a single by Maggie West (Waynesboro) while Josie Meggs reached on an error advancing to second and scoring both Blackburn and West. Meggs then scored on a double by Kivett who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Faith Ashley (Brandon) to give the Lady Wolves a 6-0 lead.

The final two runs for the Lady Wolves came in the top of the fifth as Megan Loyd (Brandon) took one swing of the bat and smashed a leadoff solo home run to left field to make the score 7-0. Maggie West then reached on an error and later scored on a single by Maxwell to give the Lady Wolves an 8-0 lead. A three up and three down bottom of the fifth secured the 8-0 win for the Lady Wolves.

Shelbi Maxwell was the only member of the Lady Wolves with a multi-hit game as she went for 2-for-3 with one RBI. Faith Kivett, Maddie Weeks, Lila Blackburn, Maggie West, and Megan Loyd all had one hit each with Kivett having one double and one RBI, Weeks hitting one triple and getting one RBi, and Loyd having one home run and one RBI.

Belle West (Byram) and Alli Albritton (Summit) dominated in the circle for the Lady Wolves as they pitched a combined no-hitter during the game. West got the start and improved to 3-0 pitching four innings with three strikeouts and one walk while Albritton pitched one inning with two strikeouts. West and Albritton also faced the minimum number of batters in the contest (15) as the lone runner allowed was forced out on a double play during the game.

"I am extremely proud of Belle and Alli for their standout performances in the circle today," said head coach Meleah Howard. "I could not be prouder of how they performed for us today!"

Co-Lin is now 6-2 overall on the 2022 season. The Lady Wolves will return to action playing Trinity Valley Community College at 11 a.m., and Parkland College at 1 p.m., as part of the Hinds JUCO Classic on Saturday, February 26 at The Quarry Park in Brandon, Miss.