Lady Wolves Upset Top Seeded Aggies

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Co-Lin Softball team continued their play at the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series with a winner's bracket semifinal matchup against top-seeded Murray State on Thursday, May 25. The No.7 Lady Wolves gave the No. 1 Aggies their first loss of the season with a 2-1 victory.

"This group just continues to step up to the plate," said Co-Lin head coach Meleah Howard. "Playing against the number one team in the country who was also undefeated would've been plenty of reason to be scared, but this team never backed down from the challenge and instead they battled for seven innings in the field while on defense and at the plate…they were tough all day."

The game was scoreless through the first two innings as the team matched each other with exact getting three combined baserunners per team without pushing a run across. The Lady Wolves broke the scoreless tie with one run in the top of the third as Josie Meggs (Kosciusko) hit a leadoff single then Madison Moak reached on a fielder's choice after a sacrifice bunt where Meggs was thrown out trying to reach third base on the play. Moak then scored on an RBI single by Maddie Weeks (Clinton) making the score, 1-0.

The Aggies then got just two combined baserunners in the third through fifth innings, but the Lady Wolves defense held strong not allowing the tying run to cross the plate. The Lady Wolves then increased their lead with a single run in the top of the sixth as Leia Phillips (Philadelphia) drew a one-out walk to get the offense going. Faith Kivett (Tallulah, LA) then singled while Meggs reached on a fielder's choice on a bunt to load the bases. Phillips then scored on a dropped infield fly increasing the Lady Wolves lead to 2-0.

The lone run for the Aggies came in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run with two outs while a groundout then ended the inning making the score, 2-1. After being held scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Lady Wolves then forced a three-up-and-three-down bottom half including striking out the final two batters to secure the 2-1 victory.

The Lady Wolves totaled six hits as a team with Josie Meggs and Madison Moak having two hits each while Maddie Weeks and Faith Kivett had one hit apiece. Weeks led the Lady Wolves with one RBI.

Cara Biswell (Brandon) got the start and improved to 19-2 with the complete game win giving up one run on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

"After today's win we are guaranteed to finish in the top three in the country which is a major deal," added Howard. "We are just so excited to be able to spend another day together playing Co-Lin softball and that's our focus right now…playing our game and loving every minute of playing with this team. I know that I probably don't say it enough, but I am just so proud to be their coach."

Co-Lin improves to 45-9 overall and will face a familiar foe in the winner's bracket final in MACCC opponent Jones. First pitch between the Bobcats and the Lady Wolves is set for 11 a.m., on Friday, May 26.