Lady Wolves Split Day at National Tournament

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Co-Lin Softball team began their defense of their national championship at the NJCAA Division II World Series on Tuesday, May 21. The Lady Wolves split the day dropping their opening game against Central Alabama, 6-2, but then rebounding to stave off elimination beating Macomb, 14-3.

GAME ONE – Central Alabama 6, Co-Lin 2

The game was scoreless through the first three innings, but the Lady Trojans broke through with five runs in the top of the fourth bolstered by back-to-back solo home runs to start the inning. The Lady Trojans held their 5-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth when the Lady Wolves plated two runs.

Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) drew a leadoff walk to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Madison Moak (Brookhaven) stepped up and crushed a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run making the score, 5-2.

The Lady Trojans responded with a solo home run in the top of the seventh and then retired the Lady Wolves in order in the bottom half to secure the 6-2 win.

The Lady Wolves totaled four hits as Madison Moak, Abby Grace Richardson (Brookhaven), Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA), and Zykeria Cole (Magee) had one hit each. Moak led the team in RBIs with two.

Cara Biswell (Brandon) got the start and moved to 19-5 while pitching 3.2 innings and allowing five runs, all earned, on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN) pitched 3.1 innings allowing one earned run on two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

GAME TWO – Co-Lin 14, Macomb 3

The Lady Wolves wasted no time getting on the board against the Monarchs as they plated two runs in the top of the first with Madison Moak drawing a leadoff walk to start the game. Abby Grace Richardson then followed with a single after Moak took second on a wild pitch. Moak then scored on an RBI double by Taylor Efferson. After Emeri Warren (Sepastopol) drew a walk to load the bases, Richardson scored on a sacrifice fly by Kinley Ainsworth (Brandon) making the score, 2-0.

The Lady Wolves then added four runs in the second inning as Carson Hughey drew a leadoff walk to start the inning. After Hughey advanced to second on an error, Bailee Goodson (Brookhaven) drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Hughey then scored on an RBI single as Goodson advanced to third on the play. The Lady Wolves then pulled off a double steal as Moak swiped second while Goodson stole home with Moak also taking third on the play making the score, 4-0. Later in the inning, Efferson demolished the first pitch she saw over the centerfield fence for a two-run home run increasing the lead to 6-0.

The Lady Wolves then added four runs in the third as Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) reached on an error and advanced to third on the play. Banes then scored on a wild pitch making the score, 7-0. Zykeria Cole, Hughey, and Goodson then drew three straight walks to load the bases with no outs. Later in the inning all three runners advanced on a wild pitch as Cole scored on the play while Hughey then scored on a sacrifice fly by Richardson making the score, 9-0. Efferson was then hit-by-pitch and replaced by Kat Case (Monticello) as a pinch runner. After Warren drew a walk, Goodson scored on an error increasing the lead to 10-0.

The Monarchs scored their three runs in the bottom of the fifth to make the score, 10-3. The Lady Wolves then responded with four runs in the top of the sixth as Warren drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by Emma Kate Fimiano (Petal) as a pinch runner. Later in the inning, Fimiano advanced to second on an error, took third on a single by Cole, and then scored on an error on that play increasing the lead to 11-3. After Hughey drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs, Goodson hit a two-out, two-RBI double increasing the lead to 13-3. Goodson then scored on an RBI single by Moak making the score, 14-3. The Monarchs then got a one-out single in the bottom of the sixth, but the Lady Wolves ended the game with a strikeout to seal the 14-3 victory.

The Lady Wolves totaled eight hits as Moak led the way going 3-for-4 while Taylor Efferson had two hits with AG Richardson, Zykeria Cole, and Bailee Goodson adding one hit each. Efferson led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with three while Moak and Goodson had two RBIs apiece with Richardson and Kinley Ainsworth had one RBI each.

Cara Biswell got the start for the Lady Wolves and improved to 20-5 overall while pitching four scoreless innings and allowing two hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Keegan McCorkle (Tyronza, AR) pitched one inning of relief allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits with one walk and one strikeout while Karley Rouse (D'Iberville) pitched one inning of scoreless relief with one and two strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 43-6 overall and will face off against the Lady Warriors of East Central at 10 a.m., on Wednesday, May 22.