Richardson Sets New School Record in Split with Lady Wildcats

POPLARVILLE – The Co-Lin Softball team hit the road for a Top-5 matchup in conference play as they faced off against Pearl River on Wednesday, April 3. The No. 5 Lady Wildcats took game one, 9-1, while the No. 2 Lady Wolves rebounded for a game two win, 12-10, in extra innings while a new school record was set in the process.

GAME ONE

The Lady Wolves look to strike first in the game as Madison Moak (Brookhaven) hit a leadoff double while Abby Grace Richardson (Brookhaven) drew a one-out walk to put two runners on. However, a strikeout and groundout ended the top of the first with no scoring done.

The Lady Wildcats then struck for three runs in the bottom of the first including a leadoff solo home run to take a 3-0 lead. The Lady Wildcats then doubled their lead with an additional three runs in the bottom of the second to make the score, 6-0.

After a scoreless third, the Lady Wolves got on the board in the top of the fifth as Richardson hit a leadoff triple and then scored on an RBI double by Zykeria Cole cutting the lead down to 6-1. However, the Lady Wildcats retired the next three batters for the Lady Wolves bring the potential big scoring inning to an end.

The Lady Wildcats then responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make their lead, 8-1, and then held the Lady Wolves scoreless for the fifth and sixth innings while a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the sixth ended the game with a 9-1 win for the Lady Wildcats.

The Lady Wolves totaled three hits in the game as Madison Moak, Abby Grace Richardson, and Zykeria Cole had one hit each while Cole accounted for the lone RBI for the team.

Cara Biswell (Brandon) got the the start for the Lady Wolves and moved to 10-3 overall while pitching three innings and allowing eight runs, four earned, on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Karley Rouse (D'Iberville) pitched two innings of relief allowing one earned run on two hits with one walk and one strikeout.

GAME TWO

The second game of the day got off to a vastly different start as Madison Moak got the Lady Wolves on the board early blasting a 1-1 pitch over the right field fence for a leadoff solo home run. Abby Grace Richardson then drew a walk and scored on an RBI double by Zykeria Cole who later scored on an error to give the Lady Wolves a 3-0 lead.

The Lady Wildcats used a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit down to 3-2. However, the Lady Wolves responded with a single run in the top of the second as Kynlee Madere (Paulina, LA) hit a leadoff single and later scored in the inning on two-out, RBI double by Moak increasing the lead to 4-2.

The Lady Wildcats once again cut the lead down to one run as they hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second to cut the lead down to 4-3. The Lady Wolves once again responded by scoring a single run in the top of the third as Cole drew a leadoff walk. Later in the inning, Cole was forced out as Leia Phillips (Philadelphia) reached on a fielder's choice and then scored on a two-out RBI single by Sarah Grace Smith (Crystal Springs) making the score, 5-3.

The Lady Wildcats then hit their third home run of the game in the bottom of the third, this time a two-run home run, to tie the game at 5-5. After the Lady Wolves were held scoreless in the top of the fourth, the Lady Wildcats scored three in the bottom half while taking advantage of an error by the Lady Wolves to take an 8-5 lead.

However, the Lady Wolves fought back and exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth as Richardson drew a leadoff walk, Cole was hit-by-pitch while Kat Case (Monticello) was then brought in as a pinch runner followed by Kinley Ainsworth (Brandon) walking to load the bases with no outs. Richardson then scored as Phillips drew a walk to cut the deficit down to 8-6 while Case then scored on a sacrifice fly by Smith to cut the deficit down to one run at 8-7. Later in the inning, Ainsworth tied the game while scoring on a wild pitch and then Phillips gave the Lady Wolves a 9-8 while scoring on an RBI single by Carson Hughey (Brookhaven). Laney Waguespack (Bayou Gauche, LA) was then brought in as a pinch runner and delivered an RBI double scoring Hughey and increasing the lead to 10-8.

The Lady Wolves could not increase their lead in the sixth and seventh innings, but also only allowed one baserunner for the Lady Wildcats in the fifth and sixth innings via an error to maintain their 10-8 lead. However, the Lady Wildcats tied the game with a two-run home run sending the game into extra innings at 10-10.

The Lady Wolves started the scoring in the eighth with a new record set as Abby Grace Richardson demolished a 2-2 pitch over the scoreboard for a solo home run, her 13th of the season and breaking the career home run record with her 37th in a Co-Lin uniform, to give the Lady Wolves an emphatic 11-10 lead. The Lady Wolves were not finished scoring though as Ainsworth hit a one-out single while Emma Kate Fimiano (Petal) was brought in as a pinch runner. Smith then delivered a two-out, RBI double scoring Fimiano for an insurance run as the lead increased to 12-10. The Lady Wolves then retired the Lady Wildcats in order in the bottom half of the inning to secure the game two victory and split on the day.

The Lady Wolves totaled 13 hits as a team as Madison Moak led the way with three hits while Sarah Grace Smith and Carson Hughey had two hits apiece with AG Richardson, Zykeria Cole, Kinley Ainsworth, Leia Phillips, Kinley Madere, and Laney Waguespack had one hit each. Smith led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with three while Moak had two RBIs with Richardson, Cole, Phillips, Hughey, and Waguespack had one RBI each.

Keegan McCorkle (Tyronza, AR) got the start for the Lady Wolves and earned a no-decision while pitching two innings and allowing five runs, all earned, on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) pitched 1.2 innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN) earned the win in relief in a career-best outing as she pitched a career-high 4.1 innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on two hits and tied her career-high in strikeouts with four.

Co-Lin is now 25-3 overall, 12-1 in conference play, and will return to action hosting Itawamba on Saturday, April 6. First pitch between the Lady Indians and the Lady Wolves is set for 1 p.m., at Lady Wolves Field in Wesson.