Lady Wolves Force Decisive Game for National Championship

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Lady Wolves started their day on Friday, May 26 knowing they would have to play one, two, or three games…ultimately the team played three and forced a winner take all game for the national championship. The Lady Wolves dropped their first game of the day to Jones, 5-3, then rebounded and eliminated Des Moines Area, 10-3, and then win their second game of the day beating Jones, 10-5, in eight innings.

"What else can I say about this group, but to talk about the fight they have shown all season and it showed up in a big way today," stated Co-Lin head coach Meleah Howard. "This is the second week in a row that we have had our backs against the wall and we found ways to keep our season going and play one more game!"

GAME ONE

The Lady Wolves got on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the first as Maddie Weeks (Clinton) reached base on an error, advanced to second on a single by Abby Grace Richardson (Brookhaven), and then scored on an RBI single by Belle West (Byram) giving the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Bobcats then tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the third. However, the Lady Wolves regained the lead with a single run in the bottom half of the inning. Madison Moak (Brookhaven) hit a leadoff single, but then was forced out at second as Weeks reached on a fielder's choice. Weeks then advanced to third on a double by Richardson and scored on an RBI single by West making the score, 2-1.

The Bobcats once again tied the game with a single run in the top of the fifth making the score, 2-2. However, the Wolves regained the lead with a single run in the bottom of the sixth as Skyler Speights (Monticello) drew a leadoff walk while Maggie West was brought in as a pinch runner. West then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Leia Phillips (Philadelphia) while Faith Kivett (Tallulah, LA) then drew a walk. West was then forced out as Josie Meggs (Kosciusko) reached on a fielder's choice. Kivett then scored on an RBI single by Moak making the score, 3-2.

The Bobcats then scored three runs in the top of the seventh and forced a three-up-and-three-down bottom half by the Lady Wolves to hand the Lady Wolves their first loss at the NJCAA Division II World Series, 5-3.

The Lady Wolves totaled eight hits as a team with Madison Moak, Abby Grace Richardson, and Belle West having two hits each while Maddie Weeks and Leia Phillips had one hit apiece. West led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two while Moak had one RBI during the game.

Cara Biswell got the start and fell to 19-3 with the loss pitching 6.1 innings while allowing five runs, four earned on nine hits with two walks and one strikeout. Belle West pitched 0.2 innings of relief allowing one hit.

GAME TWO

The Bears took an early lead on the Lady Wolves as they scored one run in the tops of the first and second innings making the score, 2-0. The Lady Wolves then answered in a big way as they exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second.

Belle West hit a single with one out to get the offense going while Faith Kivett then reached on a bunt single to put two runners on. West then scored on an RBI single by Leia Phillips as Kivett advanced to third on the play while Phillips advanced to second. Kivett then scored on a wild pitch while Skyler Speights drew a walk to tie the game at 2-2. After Speights stole second, Phillips scored on a sacrifice fly by Zykeria Cole (Magee) to give the Lady Wolves a 3-2 lead. Speights then scored on an RBI single by Josie Meggs making the score, 4-2. Meggs stole second and then scored on an RBI single by Madison Moak who then later scored on an RBI double by Maddie Weeks making the score, 6-2.

The Lady Wolves then scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Cole hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Meggs and then scored on an RBI single by Weeks. Abby Grace Richardson then stepped up and put herself at the top of the record book for the second time this season as she crushed her 21st home run, passing Jessica Crum for the most home runs in a single season, to make the score, 9-2.

The Bears then added their final run in the top of the fifth while the Lady Wolves matched that run in the bottom half as Kivett hit a leadoff triple and then scored on a wild pitch making the score, 10-3.

The Lady Wolves then retired four straight batters in the sixth and seventh innings before allowing a hit-by-pitch and a walk, but a lineout double play ended the top of the seventh and punched a ticket to the national championship game for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled 12 hits as a team as Madison Moak, Maddie Weeks, Faith Kivett, and Zykeria Cole had two hits each while Josie Meggs, Abby Grace Richardson, Belle West, and Leia Phillips had one hit each. Richardson and Weeks led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two each while Meggs, Moak, Phillips, and Cole had one RBI each.

Belle West got the start for the Lady Wolves and improved 10-5 on the season while pitching five innings allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Laney Waguespack (Des Allemands, LA) pitched two innings of scoreless and hitless relief allowing one walk.

GAME THREE

The Bobcats jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second making the score, 2-0.

However, the Lady Wolves tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth as Maddie Weeks got the offense going with a one-out single. Abby Grace Richardson then stepped up, took one swing of the bat, and crushed a two-run homerun to tie the game at 2-2.

The Bobcats then regained the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, but once again the Lady Wolves tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Madison Moak hit a leadoff single, then advanced to second on a fly out. Richardson then stepped up and delivered with her second two-run home run of the game to tie the game at 4-4.

The Bobcats once again regained the lead with a single run in the bottom of the sixth making the score, 5-4. However, the Lady Wolves continued to show great resiliency and resolve tying the game with a single run in the top of the seventh as Leia Phillips was hit-by-pitch to start the inning. Phillips then advanced to third on a double by Skyler Speights, and then scored on sacrifice fly by Zykeria Cole tying the game at 5-5. The Lady Wolves then sent the game into extra innings after forcing a three-up-and-three-down bottom of the seventh.

The Lady Wolves then exploded for five runs in the top of the eighth to take the lead. Weeks hit a leadoff double while Richardson was then intentionally walked to put two runners on with no outs. Belle West then stepped up, took one swing of the bat, and gave the Lady Wolves all the momentum with a three-run homerun to centerfield making the score, 8-5. Faith Kivett then drew a walk and advanced to second on a single by Phillips. After both Kivett and Phillips advanced bases on a wild pitch, back-to-back RBI singles by Speights and Cole scored Kivett and Phillips respectively increasing the Lady Wolves lead to 10-5.

A second straight three-up-and-three-down inning for the Bobcats secured the win for the Lady Wolves forcing the decisive if necessary game for the national championship.

The Lady Wolves totaled 11 hits as a team with Madison Moak, Maddie Weeks, Abby Grace Richardson, and Zykeria Cole having two hits each while Belle West, Leia Phillips, and Skyler Speights had one hit each. Richardson led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with four while West added three, Cole had two, and Speights had one RBI during the game.

Lila Blackburn (Red Bay, AL) got the start for the Lady Wolves and picked up a no decision pitching 5.1 innings allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits with three walks, and two strikeouts. Cara Biswell (Brandon) picked up the win in relief, her fourth win of the national tournament, improving to 20-3 on the season while pitching 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with one hit and one strikeout.

"I thought that we kind of got taken out of our game little bit in the first one, but the team recollected themselves and got back to doing what we do against a very good DMACC team," added Howard. "Then we find ourselves battling it out with Jones again and it played out about how most of our games with them have this season. Both teams were throwing punches and we just kept finding ways to respond."

"We are just so grateful to live to fight another day," added Howard. "This is the first time two MACCC teams have played for a national championship in softball and the first game did not disappoint. I can guarantee the game on Saturday will be another fight and I know that our girls will be excited and ready to go!"

Co-Lin improves to 48-10 on the season and the Lady Wolves and Bobcats will face off one more time this season in a winner take all game for the national championship on Saturday, May 27, at 9 a.m. central time in Spartanburg.