Lady Wolves Win Opening Game at National Tournament

OXFORD, Ala. – The Co-Lin Softball team opened their run at the NJCAA DII National Tournament at Choccolocco Park against Rock Valley on Monday, May 19. The No. 5 seeded Lady Wolves used timely hitting and a spectacular pitching performance to beat the No. 12 seeded Golden Eagles, 4-1.

The Lady Wolves scored first in the game as they plated two runs in the bottom of the first as Brelie Phillips (Conehatta) hit a leadoff doble to get the offense started. Olivia Banes then hit a bunt single advancing Phillips to third while an error on the play scored Phillips and allowed Banes to take second to give the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Banes stole third and then scored on a one-out, RBI-single by Avery Williams (Olive Branch) to increase the lead to 2-0.

The Golden Eagles then hit a leadoff double and a one-out, RBI-single to score a run in the top of the second to cut the lead down to 2-1. The Golden Eagles then loaded the bases with one out, but flyout followed by a strikeout left the runners stranded with the Lady Wolves holding the lead, 2-1.

The Golden Eagles then looked to tie the game in the fourth as they had two runners on with one out, but once again the Lady Wolves got out of the game thanks to a strikeout followed by a flyout to maintain the 2-1 lead. In the fifth inning, the Golden Eagles used a leadoff single followed by back-to-back errors to load the bases; however, a foul out to catcher Morgan Chisolm (Madison), followed by a strikeout, then a fielder's choice left the bases loaded while the Lady Wolves held on to their lead.

The Lady Wolves then struck for one run in the bottom of the fifth as Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) hit a leadoff single and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Phillips. Later in the inning, Hughey scored on a two-out, RBI-single by Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) to increase the lead to 3-1.

After a three-up-and-three-down top of the sixth, the Lady Wolves added a run in the bottom half as Kynlee Madere (Paulina, LA) hit a leadoff single and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emeri Warren (Sebastopol). Madere then scored on an RBI-single by Chisolm to make the lead, 4-1.

The Golden Eagles then hit a leadoff single to start the seventh, but back-to-back popouts followed by a strikeout ended the game and sealed the 4-1 victory for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled eight hits as Carson Hughey led the way with two hits while Brelie Phillips, Olivia Banes, Taylor Efferson, Avery Williams, Kynlee Madere, and Morgan Chisolm had one hit each. Efferson, Chisolm, and Avery Williams had one RBI each.

Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN) improved to 21-1 overall with the complete game win allowing one earned run on six hits with three walks and nine strikeouts.

Co-Lin improves to 44-5 overall and will face off against DMACC on Wednesday, May 21. First pitch between the Lady Wolves and the No. 4 seeded Lady Bears is set for 1 p.m.