Lady Wolves Sweep Second Straight Top-10 Matchup

POPLARVILLE – The No.2 Co-Lin Softball team returned to action on the road with a conference play doubleheader against No. 7 Pearl River. The Lady Wolves swept the Lady Wildcats taking game one, 4-0, and game two, 4-2.

Game One

Neither team could take advantage of scoring opportunities early in the game as the Lady Wolves had the first two batters reach base in the top of the first but could not push a run across to gain an early lead.

The Lady Wildcats drew one walk in each of the first two innings, but the Lady Wolves left the runner on the bases keeping the game scoreless after two innings of play. The Lady Wolves once again got the first two batters in the top of the third on base including the potential go-ahead run on third base, but once again could not push the run across to take the lead. The Lady Wolves then retired the Lady Wildcats in order in the bottom half of the third to keep the game scoreless.

The game remained scoreless throughout the fourth through sixth innings as the teams combined for five baserunners reaching on three walks, one error, and one single.

The Lady Wolves broke the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh scoring all four of their runs as Shelbi Maxwell (Wesson) got the offense going with a lead-off double and then scored on a two-base error on the play giving the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead. Josie Meggs (Kosciusko) and Bel Dekovic (Belle Chasse, La.) then hit back-to-back singles while Mary Ansley Chrestman (Cleveland) reached base on an error to load the bases with no outs. Meggs then scored on single by Faith Kivett (Tallulah, La.) while Dekovic scored on a sacrifice fly by Madi Miller (Brookhaven) making the score, 3-0. Chrestman scored the final run for the Lady Wolves on a sacrifice fly by Maddie Weeks (Clinton) making the score, 4-0.

The Lady Wildcats got a one-out single, but a fielder's choice followed by a line out ended the bottom of the seventh and secured the 4-0 victory for the Lady Wolves.

Faith Kivett led the Lady Wolves offense as the only member of the team with a multi-hit game going 2-for-3 at the plate. Shelbi Maxwell, Josie Meggs, Bela Dekovic, and Mary Ansley Chrestman had one hit apiece as the Lady Wolves totaled six hits including one double for Maxwell. Kivett, Madi Miller, and Maddie Weeks led the team with one RBI each.

Cera Blanchard (Metairie, La.) got the start in the circle for the Lady Wolves and improved to 16-1 with the complete game win pitching all seven innings allowing just one hit with eight strikeouts and three walks.

Game Two

The second game of the doubleheader once again saw the two teams miss out on early scoring opportunities starting in the bottom of the first inning as the Lady Wildcats got two runners on base, but the Lady Wolves kept the runners from scoring to keep from facing an early deficit.

The second through fourth innings saw the two teams combine for five baserunners with the Lady Wolves having four of the five through the three innings via two singles, one double, and one walk, but no scoring was done by either team to keep the game at a scoreless tie. The fifth inning then saw both teams retired in order, while the Lady Wolves then broke the scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the sixth.

Madi Miller got the Lady Wolves going with a lead-off inside-the-park home run to left field giving the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead. Maddie Weeks then followed with a single, stole second, and then scored on a one-out RBI-double by Cera Blanchard who later scored on a two-out RBI-single by Mary Ansley Chrestman to give the Lady Wolves a 3-0 lead.

The Lady Wolves added their final run in the top of the seventh as Faith Kivett hit a one-out double, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and then scored as Miller reached base on an error to increase the Lady Wolves lead to 4-0. The Lady Wildcats scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh and had the game-tying run on second base, but a groundout ended the inning securing the 4-2 game two victory and sweep of the Lady Wildcats for the Lady Wolves.

Faith Kivett and Cera Blanchard led the Lady Wolves offense with two hits each. Madi Miller, Maddie Weeks, Madalyn Wilkinson (Madison), and Mary Ansley Chrestman had one hit apiece as the Lady Wolves totaled eight hits including one home run for Miller and two doubles for Blanchard. Miller led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two while Blanchard and Chrestman had one RBI each.

Belle West got the start in the circle for the Lady Wolves and improved to 14-0 with the win. West pitched 6.2 innings allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Cera Blanchard pitched 0.1 innings of relief and picked up her first save of the season retiring the only batter she faced in the bottom of the seventh. Blanchard also has now pitched 55 innings of conference play without giving up a run after her two appearances against the Lady Wildcats.

Co-Lin is now 30-2 overall and 16-0 in conference play. The Lady Wolves will return to action hosting Mississippi Delta on Saturday, April 9. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., in Wesson.