Lady Wolves Sweep Road Doubleheader Against Warriors

DECATUR – The Co-Lin Softball team took to the road to resume MACCC play by facing off against East Central on Wednesday, April 16. The No. 3 Lady Wolves swept the Warriors taking game one, 4-0, and game two, 8-4.

GAME ONE

The first game was scoreless until the Lady Wolves broke through with a single run in the top of the fourth as Kynlee Madere (Paulina, LA) drew a leadoff walk to get the offense started. Madere advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emeri Warren (Sebastopol), took third after a lineout by Morgan Chisolm (Madison), and then scored on as Emilie Williams (Summit) reached on an error to give the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Wolves then looked to add on to their lead in the top of the fifth as Addison Lindley (Madison) and Madere reached on back-to-back errors while Warren was hit-by-pitch to load the bases with two outs. However, a strikeout ended the inning with no scoring done while the Lady Wolves held their 1-0 lead.

Once again, the Lady Wolves looked to add to their lead as Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) drew a walk while Brelie Phillips (Conehatta) singled to put two runners on with one out. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning with no scoring done for the Lady Wolves as the lead held at 1-0.

The Warriors then looked to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth as they got two runners on with one out, but the Lady Wolves got an inning ending double play to maintain their lead.

The Lady Wolves then added three runs in the top of the seventh as Madere singled while Warren and Chisolm drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out. Madere then scored as Abby Burnette (Brookhaven) hit into a fielder's choice while Warren was forced out on the play. Hughey then hit a two-RBI double scoring Chisolm and Burnette to increase the lead to 4-0.

The Warriors were then retired in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure the game one win for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled four hits as a team with Carson Hughey leading the way with two hits while Brelie Phillips and Kynlee Madere had one hit each. Hughey led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two while Abby Burnette had one.

Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN) got the start for the Lady Wolves and improved to 15-0 while pitching 5.1 scoreless innings while allowing six hits with one walk and six strikeouts while Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) got her second save of the season while pitching 1.2 innings of scoreless relief with one strikeout.

GAME TWO

The second game of the doubleheader saw the Warriors take an early lead as they scored a single run in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead over the Lady Wolves.

However, the Lady Wolves responded with a pair of runs to take the lead in the top of the third as Taylor Efferson drew a leadoff walk to get the offense started. Later in the inning, Kynlee Madere drew a walk while Emeri Warren singled to load the bases with one out. Efferson then scored as Emilie Williams reached on an error to tie the game at 1-1. Stella Roberts (Raymond) then reached on a fielder's choice while Madere was forced out on the play while Carson Hughey then drew a walk scoring Warren and giving the Lady Wolves a 2-1 lead.

The Warriors then responded with three runs in the bottom of the third while taking advantage of an error by the Lady Wolves to take a 4-2 lead.

Once again, the Lady Wolves found a response as they exploded for five runs in the top of the fourth to retake the lead with Olivia Banes hitting a leadoff single while Efferson drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. After both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Avery Williams (Olive Branch), Banes then scored on an RBI-groundout by Madere making the score, 4-3. Warren then extended the inning with a single to put two runners on with two outs. Emilie Williams then stepped up to the plate, took one swing of the bat, and crushed a 2-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for a three-run home run, her second of the season, while Roberts then followed and smashed the first pitch she saw over the fence in centerfield for a solo home run, her seventh of the season, to give the Lady Wolves a 7-4 lead.

The Lady Wolves added one run in the top of the fifth as Phillips drew a leadoff walk but was then forced out as Banes reached on a fielder's choice. Banes then advanced to third on a single by Efferson as Emma Kate Fimiano (Petal) was then brought in as a pinch runner for Efferson. The Lady Wolves then pulled off a double steal as Fimiano swiped second while Banes stole home to increase the lead to 8-4.

The Warriors then got one baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings combined as the Lady Wolves held their lead at 8-4. The Warriors then loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, but a pop out in foul territory brought the potential rally to an end securing the game two win and sweep for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled nine hits as a team with Olivia Banes, Emeri Warren, and Emilie Williams had two hits apiece while Brelie Phillips, Taylor Efferson, and Stella Roberts had one hit each. Emilie Williams led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with four while Roberts, Kynlee Madere, and Carson Hughey had one RBI each.

Taylor Efferson got the start and earned a no-decision while pitching 2.1 innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits with three walks. Keegan McCorkle (Tyronza, AR) picked up the win (5-2) while pitching 4.2 innings of scoreless relief allowing five hits with three strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 36-4 overall, 23-1 in MACCC play, and will return to action hosting Hinds for their home regular season finale on Wednesday, April 23. First pitch between the Lady Eagles and the No. 3 Lady Wolves is set for 4 p.m., in Wesson.