Lady Wolves Sweep Lady Bulldogs in Conference Opener

WESSON – The Co-Lin Softball team hosted Gulf Coast on Wednesday, March 13 to open conference play. The Lady Wolves used a pair of comeback wins to earn a sweep of the Lady Bulldogs taking game one, 5-4, and game two, 8-7, in extra innings.

GAME ONE

The Lady Wolves got on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the second as Leia Phillips (Philadelphia) hit a leadoff single. Phillips then advanced to third on a single by Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) and scored on a sacrifice fly by Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) giving the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs then scored two runs in the third, and one in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead over the Lady Wolves. The Lady Wolves then added a single run in the bottom of the fifth as Kynlee Madere (Paulina, LA) hit a leadoff single. Later in the inning, Zykeria Cole (Magee) reached on an error while Kinley Ainsworth (Brandon) drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Phillips then drew a second straight walk scoring Madere while the Lady Bulldogs then got a strikeout and groundout to maintain their lead at 3-2.

The Lady Bulldogs regained their two-run lead with a solo home run in the top of the sixth making the score, 4-2. The Lady Wolves took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth as Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) was brought in as a pinch hitter and hit a leadoff single.

Bailee Goodson (Brookhaven) then re-entered the game and advanced to second and third on two separate wild pitches. After Madison Moak (Brookhaven) drew a walk, Goodson then scored on a wild pitch cutting the lead down to 4-3. After Moak advanced to third on a groundout, Abby Grace Richardson stepped up to the plate and smashed a 1-0 pitch for a go-ahead two-run home run to right center field giving the Lady Wolves a 5-4 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs then got the tying run on first base with a one-out single in the top of the seventh, but back-to-back fly outs ended the game securing the 5-4 win for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled eight hits as a team with AG Richardson and Carson Hughey getting two hits each while Kynlee Madere, Kinley Ainsworth, Leia Phillips, and Taylor Efferson had one hit apiece. Richardson led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two while Phillips and Olivia Banes had one RBI each.

Cara Biswell (Brandon) pitched a complete game for the Lady Wolves and improved to 4-2 overall allowing four runs, all earned, on 12 hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.

GAME TWO

Once again, the Lady Wolves got out to an early lead this time with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first as Kynlee Madere drew a one-out walk to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Madere stole second and then scored as Zykeria Cole reached on an error and advanced to second on the play. Cole then scored as Kinley Ainsworth reached on an error giving the Lady Wolves a 3-0 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs then scored four runs in the third and three runs in the fourth to take a commanding 7-2 lead against the Lady Wolves. However, the Lady Wolves started their comeback with three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Carson Hughey drew a one-out walk to get the offense going.

Hughey was then caught stealing, but Olivia Banes went on to draw a walk to put one runner on for the Lady Wolves. Banes advanced to second on a single by Madison Moak and then scored as Madere reached on an error. After Abby Grace Richardson was intentionally walked to load the bases, Cole delivered a two-out, two-RBI double scoring Madere and Moak to cut the lead down to 7-5.

The Lady Wolves then tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth as Madere hit a leadoff double while Richardson drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Later in the inning, Ainsworth hit a single to load the bases with one out for the Lady Wolves. Madere then scored on a sacrifice fly by Leia Phillips while an RBI single by Taylor Efferson scored Richardson to tie the game at 7-7. Emma Kate Fimiano (Petal) and Kat Case (Monticello) were then brought in as pinch runners for Ainsworth and Efferson respectively while Hughey drew a walk to load the bases. However, a strikeout ended the inning for the Lady Wolves with the score still tied.

The Lady Wolves then got a one-out single by Madere followed with an intentional walk to Richardson to put the game-winning run at second base in the bottom of the seventh, but a fielder's choice followed by a fly out ended the inning to send the game to extras.

The Lady Bulldogs were retired in order in the top of the eighth while the Lady Wolves then got a leadoff double from Phillips in the bottom of the eighth. However, the Lady Bulldogs then recorded three straight outs to send the game to the ninth.

The Lady Bulldogs got the go-ahead run on base with a one-out single in the top of the ninth, but back-to-back strikeouts left the runner stranded on first to end the inning. The Lady Wolves then got back-to-back one-out singles from Madere and Richardson while a groundout then put the winning run at third base. Ainsworth then delivered with a game-winning, RBI single scoring Madere to give the Lady Wolves the walk-off 8-7 game two win and sweep of the double header.

The Lady Wolves totaled 14 hits as Kynlee Madere and Leia Phillips had three hits each while Madison Moak, Zykeria Cole, and Kinley Ainsworth had two hits apiece with Abby Grace Richardson and Taylor Efferson having one hit each. Cole led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two while Ainsworth, Phillips, and Efferson had one each.

Keegan McCorkle (Tyronza, AR) got the start for the Lady Wolves and earned a no-decision while pitching three innings and allowing five runs, all earned, on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Taylor Efferson pitched four innings of relief allowing two runs, both earned, on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts while Cara Biswell picked up the win in relief to improve to 5-2 overall. Biswell pitched two scoreless innings with one hit and four strikeouts.

Co-Lin improves to 13-2 overall, 2-0 in conference play, and will return to action hosting Northwest Mississippi on Saturday, March 16. First pitch between the Lady Rangers and Lady Wolves is set for 2 p.m., at Lady Wolves Softball Field in Wesson.