Lady Wolves Shutout Lady Lions in Sweep on Sophomore Day

WESSON – The Co-Lin Softball team wrapped up the home portion of the 2024 regular season hosting East Mississippi on Saturday, April 20. The Lady Wolves swept the Lady Lions with a pair of shutout wins, 11-0 and 5-0.

GAME ONE

The Lady Wolves got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning as Abby Grace Richardson hit a one-out single to get the offense started. Later in the inning, Richardson scored on a two-out, RBI single by Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) making the score, 1-0. The Lady Wolves then used back-to-back singles by Kinley Ainsworth (Brandon) and Emeri Warren (Sebastopol) to load the bases, but a groundout ended the inning and leaving the bases loaded.

The Lady Wolves then increased their lead with five runs in the bottom of the second as Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) drew a leadoff walk to start the inning. Later in the inning, Banes scored on an RBI double by Madison Moak while a second-straight double by Richardson scored Moak increasing the Lady Wolves lead to 3-0. Zykeria Cole (Magee) then crushed a ball down the leftfield line for a two-run home run increasing the lead to 5-0. After a lineout, Ainsworth extended the inning with a double, took third on a passed ball and then scored as Warren reached on an error making the score, 6-0.

After a scoreless third inning, the Lady Wolves plated five more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Efferson hit a leadoff single and then Kat Case (Monticello) was brought in as a pinch runner. Later in the inning, Case took second on a passed ball while Warren reached on an error, and Leia Phillips (Philadelphia) was hit-by-pitch to load the bases with one out. Banes then drew a walk scoring Case while Warren then scored on an RBI pinch-hit single by Laney Waguespack (Bayou Gauche, LA) increasing the lead to 8-0. Back-to-back walks for Moak and Richardson scored Phillips and Banes respectively while Waguespack then scored on a sacrifice fly by Cole making the score, 11-0.

The Lady Lions drew a two-out walk in the top of the fifth, but a line out ended the inning securing the 11-0 victory for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled 11 hits as Madison Moak, AG Richardson, Taylor Efferson, and Kinley Ainsworth had two hits apiece while Zykeira Cole, Emeri Warren, and Laney Waguespack had one hit each. Cole led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with three while Moak and Richardson added two RBIs apiece with Efferson, Banes, and Waguespack adding one RBI each.

Cara Biswell pitched a complete game shutout and improved to 14-3 overall with the win allowing just two hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

GAME TWO

The second game of the day once again saw the Lady Wolves take an early lead with a single run in the bottom of the first as AG Richardson smashed an 1-0 pitch over the fence in left field for a solo home run making the score, 1-0.

The second run of the game came in the second inning as Kinley Ainsworth hit a leadoff single to get the offense going. Ainsworth then went from first to third on a sacrifice bunt by Emeri Warren and later scored as Olivia Banes reached on an error and advanced to second on the play. Banes then advanced to third on a groundout but was left stranded as a fly out ended the inning with the score, 2-0.

Another solo run came in the third inning for the Lady Wolves as Richardson hit a one-out single and the later scored on a two-out RBI single by Taylor Efferson increasing the lead to 3-0. After a scoreless fourth inning, the Lady Wolves added another run in the fifth as Richardson was intentionally walked to put a runner on with one out. Richardson later scored in the inning on a two-out RBI double by Efferson making the score, 4-0.

The Lady Wolves added their final run in the sixth inning as Sarah Grace Smith (Crystal Springs) drew a leadoff walk as a pinch hitter. After Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) was brought on as a pinch runner, Banes hit a bunt single to put two runners on with no outs. Later in the inning, Maddie Bruner (Brandon) drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases with one out while Bailee Goodson (Brookhaven) was then re-entered at first base. Moak then drew a walk scoring Hughey while a strikeout followed by a fly out ended the inning with the bases loaded with the score sitting at 5-0.

The top of the fifth started with a hit-by-pitch for the Lady Lions, but a double play followed by a fly out ended the game securing the 5-0 game two win and sweep for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled seven hits as AG Richardson and Taylor Efferson led the way with two hits apiece while Madison Moak, Kinley Ainsworth, and Olivia Banes had one hit each. Efferson led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two while Moak, Richardson, and Banes had one RBI each.

Emily Ricahrde (Lakeland, TN) pitched a complete game shutout and improved to 6-0 overall while allowing just two hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Co-Lin improves to 35-3 overall, 22-1 in conference play, while the win in game one gave Co-Lin head coach Meleah Howard her 200th win as the head coach of the Lady Wolves. The Lady Wolves will be back in action on the road against the Lady Eagles of Hinds on Wednesday, April 24. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., at Rene Warren Field in Raymond.