Lady Wolves Punch Ticket to Region 23 Championship

WESSON – The Co-Lin Lady Wolves entered Sunday needing just one win against LSU-Eunice to secure their spot in the Region 23 Championship and a return trip to the NJCAA Division II Softball National Tournament. The No. 2 Lady Wolves used a dominant show of force in a 9-1 win over the No. 11 Lady Bengals.

The Lady Bengals got on the board first after Sara Roussel hit a leadoff double and later scored in the inning on an RBI groundout to take an early 1-0 lead. The Lady Wolves wasted no time with their response scoring two runs in the bottom of the first as Madison Moak (Brookhaven) needed just four pitches to tie the game with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the first making the score, 1-1. Abby Grace Richardson (Brookhaven) then drew a walk to put one runner on with no outs. Later in the inning, Richardson advanced to second on a single by Emeri Warren (Sebastopol) and then scored on a two-out, RBI single by Kinley Ainsworth (Brandon) giving the Lady Wolves a 2-1 lead.

After a scoreless second and top of the third innings, the Lady Wolves added a single run in the bottom of the third as Warren hit a leadoff single to get the offense started. Later in the inning, Warren advanced to second as Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) drew a walk and then scored on a two-out, RBI single by Bailee Goodson (Brookhaven) increasing the lead to 3-1.

The Lady Wolves then doubled their run total with three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Richardson crushed the first pitch of the inning off a light pole in left field for a leadoff solo home run making the score, 4-1. Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) then followed with a single to put one runner on with no outs while Emma Kate Fimiano (Petal) was brought on as a pinch runner. Later in the inning, Fimiano was forced out as Warren reached on a fielder's choice. Warren then scored on a two-out, RBI double by Ainsworth who then scored on an RBI single by Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) making the score, 6-1.

The Lady Wolves scored their final three runs in the bottom of the fifth as Moak and Richardson hit back-to-back singles with one out to get the offense going. Efferson was then hit-by-pitch to load the bases for the Lady Wolves. Laney Waguespack (Bayou Gauche, LA) was then brought in as a pinch hitter and drew a walk scoring Moak. Warren then ended the game with a walk-off, two-RBI single scoring Richardson and Efferson sealing the 9-1 Lady Wolves victory.

The Lady Wolves totaled 13 hits as a team with Emeri Warren leading the way going 3-for-4 while Madison Moak, AG Richardson, and Kinley Ainsworth had two hits apiece with Taylor Efferson, Olivia Banes, Carson Hughey, and Bailee Goodson had one hit each. Warren and Ainsworth led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two apiece while Moak, Richardson, Banes, Goodson, and Laney Waguespack had one RBI each.

Cara Biswell improved to 19-3 with the complete game win allowing one run on three hits with one strikeout.

Co-Lin improves to 42-4 overall and will face off against the Bobcats of Jones for the Region 23 Championship on Saturday, May 11 at 3 p.m., at Lady Wolves Field in Wesson. With the win against the Lady Bengals, the Lady Wolves also have qualified for the NJCAA Division II Softball National Tournament in Spartanburg, South Carolina from May 20-25.