Lady Wolves Rout Lady Bengals in Region 23 Tournament

WESSON – The Co-Lin Softball team resumed action in the Region 23 Softball Semifinal Tournament with a winner's bracket game against LSU-Eunice. The No. 2 Lady Wolves had an offensive explosion as they routed the No. 11 Lady Bengals, 15-0.

The Lady Wolves wasted no time in getting on the board first with a solo run in the top of the first as Madison Moak (Brookhaven) hit a leadoff single to start the game. Moak then scored as Abby Grace Richardson hit an RBI double to give the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead. The Lady Wolves then looked to increase their lead in the top of the second as Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) hit a one-out single while Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) drew a walk to put two runners on. However, a groundout followed by a fly out left the runners stranded as the Lady Wolves lead held at 1-0.

The Lady Wolves then added four runs in the top of the third as Richardson and Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) drew back-to-back walks to put two runners on with no outs. After a flyout for the first out of the inning, Emeri Warren (Sebastopol) reached on a fielder's choice as Efferson was forced out on the play to put runners on the corners with two outs. Kinley Ainswoth (Brandon) then increased the lead with an RBI single scoring Richardson while Banes then stepped up and crushed a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left field for a three-run home run giving the Lady Wolves a 5-0 lead.

The Lady Wolves added six runs in the top of the fourth as Richardson drew a leadoff walk to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Zykeria Cole (Magee) drew a walk to put two runners on with one out. After a flyout for the second out of the inning, Ainsworth reached on an infield single while an error on the play allowed Richardson and Cole to score increasing the lead to 7-0. After Emma Kate Fimiano (Petal) was brought on as a pinch runner, Banes and Hughey drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Laney Waguespack (Bayou Gauche, LA) was brought in as a pinch hitter and delivered the grandest hit of the game as she smashed a 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for a grand slam, her first home run of the season and her Lady Wolves career, to extend the lead to 11-0.

The Lady Wolves added their final four runs in the top of the fifth as Efferson hit a one-out single to get the offense going. After Kat Case (Monticello) was brought in as a pinch runner, Cole reached on an error to put two runners on while Kynlee Madere (Paulina, LA) was then brought in as a pinch runner for Cole. Warren then reached on a fielder's choice as Madere was out on the play putting runners on the corners with two outs. Ainsworth then hit her second RBI single of the game giving the Lady Wolves a 12-0 lead. Banes then came up and crushed a 3-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for her second three-run home run of the game, her third of the season, extending the lead to 15-0.

The Lady Bengals were then retired in order in the bottom of the fifth to secure the 15-0 victory for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled ten hits as a team with Olivia Banes leading the way going a perfect 3-for-3 with one walk to reach base safely in all four plate appearances. Kinley Ainsworth also tied for the team lead in hits with three while Madison Moak, AG Richardson, Taylor Efferson, and Laney Waguespack had one hit each. Carson Hughey also reached base in all four plate appearances as she drew four walks during the game. Banes led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with six, while Waguespack had four RBIs, Ainsworth had two, and Richardson had one.

Cara Biswell got the start for the Lady Wolves and improved to 18-3 overall while pitching four innings and allowing just three hits with one strike. Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN) pitched one inning of relief retiring all three batters she faced.

Co-Lin improves 41-4 overall and will hold winner's advantage in the final day of the Region 23 Softball Semifinal tournament as they face off against the Lady Bengals of LSU-Eunice at 2 p.m., on Sunday, May 5. The Lady Wolves will need just one win to clinch a spot in the Region 23 Championship game and punch a ticket for a return trip to the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series in Spartanburg, South Carolina.