Lady Wolves Secure MACCC Championship with Sweep of Lady Eagles

RAYMOND – The Co-Lin Softball took to the team to face off against Hinds in a Top-15 matchup on Wednesday, April 24. The No. 2 Lady Wolves swept the No. 13 Lady Eagles taking game one, 9-0, and game two, 5-3. The Lady Wolves also clinched their first regular season conference championship in school history.

GAME ONE

After a scoreless first inning, the Lady Wolves broke through with three runs in the top of the second as Kinley Ainsworth (Brandon) and Emeri Warren (Sebastopol) hit back-to-back singles with one out to get the offense going. Leia Phillips then stepped up and crushed an 1-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for a three-run home run giving the Lady Wolves a 3-0 lead.

The Lady Wolves then added two more runs in the third inning as Abby Grace Richardson (Brookhaven) hit a one-out double to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) smashed a full count pitch over the centerfield fence for a two-run home run increasing the Lady Wolves lead to 5-0.

The Lady Wolves added another pair of runs in the top of the fourth as Phillips and Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) drew back-to-back walks to put two runners on base with one out. The Lady Wolves then pulled off a double steal as Phillips stole third while Banes swiped second and then Phillips scored after an error on the play while Banes advanced to third on the play. Banes then scored on an RBI groundout by Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) giving the Lady Wolves a 7-0 lead.

The Lady Wolves added their final two runs in the top of the fifth as Richardson, Zykeria Cole (Magee), and Efferson opened the inning with three-straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Richardson then scored on a sacrifice fly by Ainsworth while Warren followed with a single that loaded the bases with one out for the Lady Wolves. Cole then scored on a sacrifice fly by Phillips increasing the Lady Wolves lead to 9-0. The Lady Eagles then got a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth for their only hit of the game, but the Lady Wolves then retired the next three batters to seal the 9-0 game one victory.

The Lady Wolves totaled nine hits as AG Richardson, Taylor Efferson, and Emeri Warren had two hits apiece while Zykeria Cole, Kinley Ainsworth, and Leia Phillips had one hit each. Phillips led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with four while Efferson had two RBIs with Ainsworth and Carson Hughey adding one RBI each.

Cara Biswell (Brandon) improved to 15-3 overall with the complete game win allowing just one hit with three walks and four strikeouts.

GAME TWO

The Lady Wolves got off to a hot start in game two as they scored four runs in the top of the first. Madison Moak led off the game reaching base on an error, AG Richardson drew a walk, and Zykeria Cole reached base safely on a fielder's choice to load the bases with no outs for the Lady Wolves. Taylor Efferson then drew a walk with the bases loaded scoring Moak while Richardson then scored on an RBI groundout by Kinley Ainsworth giving the Lady Wolves a 2-0 lead.

Cole then scored on a wild pitch while Efferson advanced to third on the play. Efferson later scored on an RBI groundout by Emeri Warren increasing the Lady Wolves lead to 4-0. The Lady Wolves held the 4-0 lead until the top of the fifth when they added a solo run as Olivia Banes hit a leadoff triple and then later scored on an error making the score, 5-0.

The Lady Eagles then took advantage of an error by the Lady Wolves in the bottom of the sixth to score a run and cut the lead down to 5-1. The Lady Wolves looked to gain the run back as Ainsworth hit a leadoff triple in the top of the seventh. Later in the inning, Bailee Goodson (Brookhaven) and Banes drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out. But the Lady Eagles then turned a double play to end the inning with no scoring done.

The Lady Eagles then opened the seventh with a leadoff walk followed by back-to-back doubles to cut the lead down to 5-3 and sent the tying run to the plate with a runner at second and no outs. However, the Lady Wolves then retired the next three batters in a row going strikeout, groundout, and strikeout to secure the game two win and sweep for the Lady Wolves, 5-3.

The Lady Wolves totaled five hits as a team with Madison Moak, Zykeria Cole, Kinley Ainsworth, Emeri Warren, and Olivia Banes had one hit each. Ainsworth, Warren, and Taylor Efferson had one RBI each for the Lady Wolves.

Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN) got the start for the Lady Wolves and improved to 8-0 overall while pitching 4.1 scoreless innings allowing three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Karley Rouse (D'Iberville) pitched 1.2 innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. Cara Biswell picked up her second save of the season with one inning of scoreless relief allowing one hit with two strikeouts.

Co-Lin improves to 37-3 overall, 24-1 in conference play, and will wrap up the regular season with a road doubleheader at Coahoma on Saturday, April 27. First pitch between the Lady Wolves and Lady Tigers is set 1 p.m., at the Eddie C. Smith Sportsplex in Clarksdale.