Co-Lin rallies to defeat Mississippi Gulf Coast 11-10 in a thriller

FULTON – The Co-Lin Lady Wolves rallied for six runs in the top of the seventh inning, including three home runs, to take a thrilling 11-10 win over the Mississippi Gulf Coast Lady Bulldogs in an elimination game to stay alive in the Mississippi Association of Community College Conference (MACCC) State Softball Tournament.  Co-Lin (30-8) will face Itawamba in an elimination game on Saturday at 1 p.m. Watch live at LetsGoICCTV.com/red

Co-Lin jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Madi Miller (Brookhaven/Brookhaven High School) led off the inning with a single. Madalyn Wilkinson (Madison/Germantown High School) and Carlon Brabham (Amite, LA/Oak Forest Academy) earned back-to-back walks. Miller scored on Cera Blanchard's (Metairie, LA/De La Salle High School) sacrifice fly to put the Lady Wolves up 1-0.

Gulf Coast answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Rakeya Travis's RBI triple plated Whitley Tanner.

The Lady Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a Kristian Jones solo home run.

Co-Lin regained the lead in the top of the third. Abigail Carter (Mendenhall/Simpson Academy) walked and advanced to second as Blanchard was hit by a pitch. Shelbi Maxwell (Wesson/Wesson High School) singled to load the bases. Baileigh Jackson's RBI single drove in Carter and Blanchard to give the Lady Wolves a 3-2 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs took advantage of two Co-Lin errors and two walks to take a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the third.

In the bottom of the fourth, Travis hit a two-run home run to increase the Gulf Coast lead to 7-3.

Molly Johnson (Jackson/Northwest Rankin High School) and Maxwell hit back-to-back singles. Johnson scored on Jackson's grounder. Maxwell scored on Miller's ground out to cut the Bulldog lead to 7-5.

Gulf Coast plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 10-5 lead.

But the Lady Wolves weren't done yet. In the top of the seventh inning, Jackson reached on an error, Molly Davis (Philadelphia/Leake Academy) singled. Miller's two-run double scored pinch runner Malori Cade (Brookhaven/Loyd Star High School) and Davis to cut the lead to 10-7. Brabham hit a two-run home run to right field to pull Co-Lin to 10-9. With two outs, Blanchard hit a towering shot over the center field wall to tie the game at 10-10. Johnson followed with a solo home run to put the Lady Wolves up 11-10.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lady Bulldogs would load the bases, but Blanchard would strike out Alyssia Little to end the game.

Co-Lin starter Bella Luckey (Mendenhall/Simpson Academy) tossed the first two innings giving up five runs (three earned), four hits and two walks in two innings of work. Blanchard (15-3) relieved Luckey in the third inning she gave up five runs, two hits, struck out 11 and walked eight in five innings.

Emaleigh Coates absorbed the loss for Gulf Coast. She tossed 6.2 innings, allowing 11 runs (six earned), 12 hits, struck out four and walked six. Anna Avant threw 0.1 innings walking two.

At the plate for Co-Lin, Johnson was 3-for-5 with a home run and a pair of singles. Miller doubled and singled for three RBIs. Maxwell had a pair of singles. Brabham and Blanchard homered for two RBIs each. Hitting safely was Davis, Jackson (two RBIs) and Wilkinson.

For the Lady Bulldogs, Travis was 3-for-3 with a home run, triple and single and five RBIs. Kristian Jones had a home run and a single. Caroline Moore singled.