Lady Wolves Sweep Itawamba in Top-10 Matchup

WESSON – The Co-Lin Softball team played host to No.6 Itawamba in a conference play doubleheader on Saturday, April 2. The Lady Wolves swept the Lady Indians in walk-off fashion for both games taking a thrilling extra inning win in game one, 3-2, and winning in the bottom of the seventh in game two, 1-0.

"Wow! What an effort from our ladies today!!" stated Co-Lin head coach Meleah Howard. "This series was everything that you would expect in a Top-10 matchup to be! We just kept fighting and making play after play to stay in the game and eventually found a way to win both games in the end. I am so proud of the fight, grit, and toughness shown throughout these two games!"

Game One

Neither team managed to scratch across a run in the first two innings of play as only one baserunner got to second base within those innings. However, the Lady Indians broke the scoreless tie with their two runs in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Indians continued to hold the Lady Wolves scoreless through the bottom of the third retiring the side in order and maintained their 2-0 lead. The Lady Wolves broke through with an explosive pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth as Maddie Weeks (Clinton) and Madalyn Wilkinson (Madison) hit back-to-back solo home runs to tie the game at 2-2. Both home runs were over the center field fence as Weeks hit the first pitch she saw to lead off the inning (hitting her sixth of the season) while Wilkinson's home run was on a 1-1 pitch and was her fourth of the season.

The Lady Wolves then allowed the Lady Indians just two baserunners in the fifth and sixth innings on one hit and one walk while loading the bases in both innings without being able to push the go-ahead run across the plate.

The Lady Indians then got two baserunners in the top of the seventh but were held scoreless while the Lady Wolves were retired in order in the bottom half of the inning to send the game into extra innings. The Lady Indians were retired in order in the top of the eighth, while the Lady Wolves could not take advantage of a one-out single in the bottom half of the inning as the game remained tied 2-2 going to the ninth inning.

After the Lady Indians could not take advantage of a one-out single in the top of the ninth, the Lady Wolves then walked off with the game winning run in the bottom half of the inning as Weeks drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a single by Wilkinson, and then scored the winning run on a walk-off RBI-single by Cera Blanchard (Metairie, La.) securing the 3-2 win.

Faith Kivett (Tallulah, La.) and Madalyn Wilkinson led the Lady Wolves with two hits each while Madi Miller (Brookhaven), Maddie Weeks, Cera Blanchard, Shelbi Maxwell (Wesson), Bela Dekovic (Belle Chasse, La.), and Mary Ansley Chrestman (Cleveland) got one hit apiece as the Lady Wolves totaled 10 hits including one double for Miller, and one home run each for Weeks and Wilkinson. Weeks, Wilkinson, and Blanchard led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with one each.

Cera Blanchard got the start for the Lady Wolves and pitched all nine innings while earning her win with the walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth. Blanchard improved to 15-1 allowing two unearned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and four walks. The Southeastern Louisiana commit has now stretched her unearned run streak to 47.2 innings pitched in conference play.

Game Two

The second game of the series saw the first nine batters retired in order in the first inning and a half of play as the Lady Wolves got the first hit of the game in the bottom of the second with a lead-off single by Madayln Wilkinson and then got the second hit of the game with a one-out single by Shelbi Maxwell. However, the Lady Wolves could not push a run across as back-to-back fielder's choice plays ended the inning and leaving the game scoreless.

The Lady Indians then hit back-to-back two-out singles in the top of the fourth getting a baserunner to third base. However, the runner was caught stealing home keeping the game scoreless headed to the bottom half of the inning. The Lady Wolves got a one-out single by Wilkinson in the bottom of the fourth, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning and keeping the game scoreless headed to the fifth.

The Lady Indians then loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth, but an unassisted line-out double play by third baseman Josie Meggs (Kosciusko) ended the scoring threat. Neither team then got a runner past second base until the bottom of the sixth as Faith Kivett hit a lead-off single in the bottom of the sixth, stole second, and advanced to third on sacrifice bunt by Madi Miller. Kivett was then thrown out trying to steal home keeping the game at a scoreless tie heading to the seventh.

After the Lady Indians were retired in order in the top of the seventh, the Lady Wolves got their second walk-off win with one run in the bottom half of the inning. Wilkinson drew a lead-off walk and was then replaced by Mary Ansley Chrestman as a pinch runner, Chrestman then stole second while Josie Meggs and Bela Dekovic were given intentional walks to load the bases with two outs. Belle West (Byram) then hit a walk-off RBI-single, scoring Chrestman, and securing the 1-0 game two win and sweep of the Lady Indians.

Madalyn Wilkinson led the Lady Wolves offense going a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate and drawing one walk. Faith Kivett, Shelbi Maxwell, and Belle West got one hit apiece as the Lady Wolves totaled five hits during the contest with West adding one RBI by scoring the game-winning run.

Belle West got the start for the Lady Wolves and pitched all seven innings while also earning her win with the walk-off single. West improved to 13-0 with the complete game shutout allowing six hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

"I can't say enough about the effort that we got out of Cera and Belle during these games," said Howard. "They kept us in the games all afternoon and then took it upon themselves to drive in the winning runs in both games. These performances just speak to how this team functions as a whole and how they have each other's backs no matter who we play or the situation we are in."

Co-Lin is now 28-2 overall and 14-0 in conference play. The Lady Wolves will return to action on the road against No. 8 Pearl River on Wednesday, April 6. First pitch between the Lady Wildcats and the Lady Wolves is scheduled for 3 p.m., in Poplarville.

"All of these girls make me so proud each and every day," added Howard. "I am looking forward to getting back at it during practice this week to prepare for another tough week of conference games!"