Lady Wolves Walk Off Secures Sixth Straight Conference Sweep

WESSON – The Co-Lin Softball team resumed MACCC play with a ranked matchup against Gulf Coast on Tuesday, March 26. The No. 4 Lady Wolves swept the No. 22 Bulldogs taking game one, 11-5, and then walked off game two, 4-3, in the bottom of the ninth.

GAME ONE

The Lady Wolves got the scoring started early as they scored a single run in the bottom of the first as Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) hit a one-out single to get the offense started. Banes advanced to second as Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) drew a walk and then scored as Avery Williams (Olive Branch) reached safely on an error giving the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Wolves then added a single run in the bottom of the second as Morgan Chisolm hit a leadoff double. Later in the inning, Carson Hughey singled and Chisolm looked to score but was thrown out at home while Hughey advanced to second on the play. Olivia Banes then delivered a two-out, RBI-single scoring Hughey and increasing the lead to 2-0.

The Bulldogs then took advantage of an error by the Lady Wolves to score two runs and tie the game at 2-2. However, the Lady Wolves wasted little time with a response and scored one run in the bottom half of the inning as Efferson stepped up and crushed the first pitch of the inning over the centerfield fence for a solo home run to give the Lady Wolves a 3-2 lead. The Lady Wolves then extended the lead with a single run in the bottom of the fourth as Chisolm hit a leadoff single to get the offense started. Chisolm then advanced to second on a groundout by Abby Burnette, took third on a single by Hughey, and then scored on an RBI-single by Banes to increase the lead to 4-2.

The Lady Wolves then plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth as Avery Williams hit a leadoff double while Kynlee Madere (Paulina, LA) followed by drawing a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Both runners then advanced to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Emeri Warren (Sebastopol) while Avery Williams then scored on an RBI-groundout by Chisolm to increase the lead to 5-2. Emilie Williams (Summit) then stepped up for a pinch-hit appearance, took one swing of the bat, and smashed a 2-2 pitch for a two-run home run, her first home run of the season, to increase the lead to 7-2.

The Bulldogs then took advantage of two errors on one play by the Lady Wolves to score three runs and cut the lead down to 7-5. The Lady Wolves then answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning as Banes hit a leadoff single to get the offense going. Efferson then stepped up and crushed a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run, her second homer of the game and sixth of the season tying her for the team lead, to increase the lead to 9-5. Later in the inning, Warren hit a two-out single to extend the inning. Chisolm then followed and smashed a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run to extend the lead to 11-5.

The Bulldogs were then retired in order in the top of the seventh to secure the game one victory for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled 15 hits in the game as Morgan Chisolm and Carson Hughey led the way with three hits apiece while Brelie Phillips, Olivia Banes, and Taylor Efferson had two hits each with Avery Williams, Emeri Warren, and Emilie Williams had one hit apiece. Chisolm and Efferson led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with three each while Phillips and Emilie Williams had two RBIs apiece.

Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN) improved to 9-0 with the complete game win allowing five runs, all unearned, on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

GAME TWO

The second game of the doubleheader saw the Bulldogs score two runs to take an early 2-0 lead over the Lady Wolves while taking advantage of an error in the inning to push the runs across.

The Lady Wolves then responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second as Kynlee Madere drew a leadoff walk while Emeri Warren singled to put two runners on with no outs. Both runners advanced on a groundout by Morgan Chisolm while Madere then scored on an RBI-groundout by Emilie Williams. Warren then tied the game as Carson Hughey reached base on an error making the score, 2-2.

The score remained tied despite the Lady Wolves getting at least two runners on base in the fourth through sixth innings while the Bulldogs also had multiple innings where runners got into scoring position but neither team could push a run across to take a lead. The Lady Wolves then looked to win the game in the bottom of the seventh as Taylor Efferson hit a two-out single, but a groundout ended the inning to send the game into extra innings.

The Bulldogs then got a leadoff single followed later in the inning by a one-out single to put two runners on with one out. However, the Lady Wolves then got a fielder's choice followed by a groundout to keep the game tied. After the Lady Wolves were retired in order in the bottom of the eighth, the Bulldogs took advantage of a Lady Wolves error in the top of the ninth to score one run and take a 3-2 lead.

However, the Lady Wolves responded with a pair of runs as Emilie Williams drew a leadoff walk while Abby Burnette (Brookhaven) was then brought in to run. Hughey then followed with a single to put two runners on with no outs. Brelie Phillips then hit a sacrifice bunt, but an error on the play saw her reach safely while Burnette scored on the play to tie the game. Olivia Banes then stepped up and lasered a groundball down the third base line for a game-winning RBI-single as Hughey scored on the play to secure the game two victory and sweep of the Bulldogs, 4-3.

The Lady Wolves totaled nine hits in the game as Taylor Efferson led the way with three hits while Olivia Banes had two hits with Brelie Phillips, Emeri Warren, Morgan Chisolm, and Carson Hughey adding one hit each. Emilie Williams and Olivia Banes had one RBI each for the Lady Wolves.

Taylor Efferson improved to 9-1 overall with the complete game win allowing three runs, all unearned, on 11 hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 25-3 overall, 12-0 in conference play, and will return to action on the road against Itawamba on Friday, March 28. First pitch between the No. 4 Lady Wolves and the No. 21 Indians is set for 1 p.m., at Andy Kirk Field in Fulton.