Lady Wolves sweep pair from East Central
WESSON – The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Lady Wolves swept a softball doubleheader from the East Central Community College Lady Warriors 4-3 and 6-0. The Lady Wolves improve to 9-4 on the season.
Co-Lin 4, East Central 3
The Co-Lin Lady Wolves broke open a scoreless game in the fourth inning when pitcher Becca Bailey lead off with a single. First baseman Rebecca Rousseau sacrificed pinch runner Amber Bowman to second and third baseman Meleah Brown smoked an RBI double to right center. Catcher Missy Paulina drilled a double to center, scoring Brown.
East Central scored an unearned run in the fifth to close the gap to 2-1. The Lady Wolves would respond in their half of the inning. Center fielder Emily Langley was hit by a pitch and shortstop Ashley Sykes sacrificed her to second. Second baseman Kayla Crochet continued swinging her hot bat by smashing a deep homerun to left field.
The Lady Warriors would add 2 runs in the sixth inning to trim the lead to 4-3.
Sophomore transfer Becca Bailey went the distance scattering 6 hits in 7 innings. Bailey allowed 2 earned runs, hit one batter and struck out 10. It was Bailey’s longest outing of the year since tearing her ACL.
“We played pretty good defense behind her (Bailey), but the 10 strikeouts were huge,” said Co-Lin head coach Allen Kent. “East Central has a very good hitting team.”
“We weren’t as patient at the plate as we should have been, stranding 8 runners. East Central took advantage of nearly every opportunity they had. “
Directing the Lady Wolves at the plate were Langley, Sykes and right fielder Devon Welch collected 2 hits each. Rousseau added a single.
Co-Lin 6, East Central 0
In the second game, Crochet and Rousseau combined skills for a 2-hit shutout. Crochet threw the first 5 innings, only giving up 2 hits. She had 6 strikeouts and only 1 walk. Rousseau slammed the door in the final 2 innings, facing only 6 batters and striking out 3.
Co-Lin would scratch for a pair of runs in the third. With 2 out, Rousseau stroked a single to left and advanced to second on a passed ball. Brown drew a base on balls and Paulina delivered an RBI single scoring pinch runner Bowman. Welch reached on an infield single and catcher Boone drilled an RBI single to center.
In the fourth inning, pinch hitter Brittany Watts reached on an error and Crochet singled. Both runners advanced on a passed ball. With 2 out, Brown drilled a double to left, driving in 2 runs.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Co-Lin would again get a clutch 2-out hit. Chelsey Miller drew a leadoff walk and Boone smacked a single to center. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and scored on a 2-out double to center by Sykes giving the Lady Wolves a 6-0 lead.
At the plate, Crochet and Boone had 2 hits apiece. Adding support with a single was Miller.
“Our pitchers did a great job in game 2, staying ahead in the count and keeping the pesky Warriors off base,” said Kent. “We only allowed 3 base runners in game 2. Two of them were gunned down by Boone, trying to steal second.”
All 6 of our runs were scored with 2 out, so we came through with some timely hitting.
“East Central has been the Central Division Champion for 3 years in a row,” said Kent. “I feel certain they will be a threat to win it again this year, so it was a good showing for us.”
