Lady Wolves Punch Ticket to Region 23 Championship

ELLISVILLE – The Lady Wolves needed two games to clinch a spot in the Region 23 Championship game after dropping game one of the day to the Jones Bobcats, 10-2, they rebounded winning an elimination game against the Pearl River Wildcats, 7-1, on Sunday, May 14.

"Today was a tale of two different performances," said Co-Lin head coach Meleah Howard. "In the first game of the day we did not play well enough against Jones to get the win, but thankfully we were able to bounce back in game two and play Co-Lin to punch our ticket to not only the Region 23 Championship but also the national tournament!"

GAME ONE

The Bobcats got their scoring started early as they scored single runs in the bottom of the first and second to hold a 2-0 lead over the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves scored their two runs in the top of the fifth as Josie Meggs (Koscisuko) hit a bunt single with one out to get the offense going. Meggs then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Faith Kivett (Tallulah, LA) and then scored on an RBI single by Maddie Weeks (Clinton) as Weeks notched career RBI number 119 tying the career record at Co-Lin. Weeks advanced to second on the previous play and then scored on an RBI single by Abby Grace Richardson (Brookhaven) tying the game at 2-2.

The Bobcats then scored eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure 10-2 win.

The Lady Wolves totaled five hits as Josie Meggs, Faith Kivett, Maddie Weeks, Abby Grace Richardson, and Zykeria Cole had one hit each. Weeks and Richardson had one RBI each for the Lady Wolves.

Cara Biswell (Brandon) got the start for the Lady Wolves and fell to 16-2 overall pitching four innings while allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits with four walks and two hits. Laney Waguespack (Des Allemands, LA) pitched 0.2 innings of relief allowing six runs, five earned, on three hits with three walks. Lila Blackburn (Red Bay, AL) also pitched in relief allowing one hit.

GAME TWO

The second game of the day saw the Wildcats take advantage of an error by the Lady Wolves in the bottom of the first to score their only run of the game and take an early lead, 1-0.

The Lady Wolves responded with a big inning scoring four runs in the top of the second as Zykeria Cole (Magee) hit a one-out single to get the offense going while Leia Phillips (Philadelphia) drew a walk to put two baserunners on. Cole then scored on an RBI single by Skyler Speights (Monticello) tying the game at 1-1. Madison Moak (Brookhaven) then stepped up, took one swing of the bat, and crushed an 0-1 pitch for a three-run home run to give the Lady Wolves a 4-1 lead.

The Lady Wolves added two runs in the top of the fifth as Josie Meggs hit a leadoff single advanced to second on a passed ball, stole third base, and then scored on a two-out RBI double by Abby Grace Richardson making the score, 5-1. Bailee Goodson (Brookhaven) was then brought in as a pinch runner and then advanced to third on a single by Belle West (Byram). Maggie West (Waynesboro) was then brought in as a pinch runner and stole second while an error on the play allowed Goodson to score increasing the lead to 6-1.

The final run for the Lady Wolves came in the top of the sixth as Speights stepped up with one out, took one swing of the bat, and smashed a 1-1 pitch for a solo home run increasing the Lady Wolves lead to 7-1.

The Wildcats then got two combined baserunners in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings as the Lady Wolves secured the win clinching a spot in the Region 23 Championship game. With the win, the Lady Wolves also secured a spot in the NJCAA Division II World Series in Spartanburg, SC starting on May 23. This will be the first time the Lady Wolves have played in the national tournament since the 2008 season.

The Lady Wolves totaled 12 hits as a team with Josie Meggs and Abby Grace Richardson leading the way going 3-for-4 at the plate each while Skyler Speights had two hits with Belle West, Zykeria Cole, Leia Phillips, and Madison Moak adding one hit each. Moak led the Lady Wolves with three RBIs while Speights had two RBIs, and Richardson had one RBI.

Belle West got the start for the Lady Wolves and improved to 7-5 with the complete game win allowing one unearned run on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

"How about that performance from Belle West," said Howard. "She did an unbelievable job of stepping up when her team needed her the most. Madison Moak coming through with that home run was so clutch for our team too. We have talked about all year how this team finds a way to step up when we need to and it showed up again for us at the biggest time of the season."

Co-Lin improves to 41-9 overall. The Lady Wolves will now face off against the Jones Bobcats for the Region 23 Championship on Monday, May 15 at Noon in Ellisville. The Lady Wolves will have to beat the Bobcats twice to win the Region 23 title.

"Now we get the chance to come back and play for a championship," added Howard. "It has been 15 years since this program has been to the national tournament. It means so much to me to be able to come back home and take this program back to the place it belongs…as one of the top programs in the country!"