Lady Wolves Split with Wildcats

POPLARVILLE – The Co-Lin Softball team hit the road to face against Pearl River in Top 3 matchup on Tuesday, March 31. The No. 3 Lady Wolves and No. 1 Wildcats split the day as the Lady Wolves took game one, 7-3, while the Wildcats took game two, 5-4, in eight innings.

GAME ONE

After a scoreless first inning, the Lady Wolves broke the stalemate with four runs in the top of the second as Morgan Chisolm (Madison) drew a one-out walk to get the offense started. Olivia Higginbotham (Hernando) and Stella Roberts (Raymond) hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Chisolm then scored as Abby Burnette (Brookhaven) reached on an error giving the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead. Brelie Phillips (Conehatta) then cleared the bases with a three-RBI double scoring Higginbotham, Roberts, and Burnette and increasing the lead to 4-0.

The Lady Wolves then increased the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third as Annie Poole ambushed and clobbered the first pitch she saw for a leadoff solo home run making the score, 5-0. Emilie Williams (Summit) then followed with a double, took third on a groundout, and then scored on an RBI-groundout by Higginbotham increasing the lead to 6-0.

The Wildcats then scored two runs in the bottom of the third cutting the lead down to 6-2. However, the Lady Wolves responded with a run in the top of the fourth as Burnette hit a leadoff double. Later in the inning, Ayari VanBlaircom (Daphne, AL) and Poole drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Williams then drew a third-straight walk scoring Burnette and increasing the lead to 7-2.

The Wildcats were then retired in order in the fourth and got a two-out walk in the fifth, but did not push the run across. The Wildcats hit a solo home run in the sixth to cut the lead down to 7-3 and then got the next runner on off an error. However, a strikeout and a lineout brought the inning to an end.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Wildcats got drew back-to-back walks to put two runners on with one out. The Lady Wolves then turned to their bullpen and ended the game with a flyout and a fielder's choice to secure the 7-3 victory.

The Lady Wolves totaled eight hits as Olivia Higginbotham and Abby Burnette had two hits apiece while Brelie Phillips, Annie Poole, Emilie Williams, Stella Roberts had one hit each. Phillips led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with three while Poole, Williams, Higginbotham, and Burnette had one RBI each.

Addison Lindley got the start and improved to 14-1 overall with 6.1 innings pitched allowing three runs, all earned, on three hits with eight walks and one strikeout. Lily Crum (Vidalia, LA) picked up her third save of the season retiring the only two batters she faced.

GAME TWO

The Wildcats got on the board first as they scored a single run in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. The Lady Wolves wasted little time with a response though as Morgan Chisolm crushed a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left field for a leadoff solo home run tying the game at 1-1 in the top of the second.

The Wildcats then hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to retake the lead at 3-1. Once again, the Lady Wolves responded, this time with three runs in the top of the third as Brelie Phillips hit a leadoff single to get the offense started. Ayari VanBlaircom then drew a walk while Annie Poole was hit-by-pitch to load the bases with no outs. Emilie Williams then drew a walk scoring Phillips while Olivia Higginbotham hit a two-RBI single scoring VanBlaircom and Poole increasing the lead to 4-3. A caught stealing followed by back-to-back strikeouts brought the inning to an end.

That lead held until the Wildcats tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fifth making the score, 4-4.

The Lady Wolves were then retired in order in the top of the sixth and got two baserunners on with one out in the seventh as Phillips and VanBlaircom drew back-to-back walks. However, back-to-back strikeouts left the go-ahead run stranded at second. The Wildcats were then retired in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.

The Lady Wolves then looked to take the lead in the top of the eighth as Chisolm reached on an error and then later in the inning, Burnette smashed a ball, but the potential lead-taking home run was robbed in centerfield to end the inning. The Wildcats then got the leadoff runner on by a hit-by-pitch; however, the Lady Wolves then turned a double play to get two outs on the board. The Wildcats then ended the game with a solo home run making the score, 5-4.

The Lady Wolves totaled three hits as Brelie Phillips, Olivia Higginbotham, and Morgan Chisolm had one hit each. Higginbotham led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two while Chisolm and Emilie Williams had one each.

Ava Browder (Picayune) got the start and earned a no-decision while pitching 1.1 innings allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with one strikeout. Lily Crum pitched three innings of relief allowing one earned run on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Mady McCrory (Purvis) took the loss (1-1) while pitching 3.1 innings of relief allowing one earned run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 32-3, 13-1 in MACCC play, and will return to action on the road against East Mississippi on Friday, April 3. First pitch between the Lady Wolves and the Lady Lions is scheduled for 2 p.m., in Scooba.