Lindley’s Perfection Leads to Opening Game Win

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The defending national champion Co-Lin Softball team began their time and title defense at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament by facing off against Parkland on Tuesday, May 19. The Lady Wolves dominated the game with a perfect outing from Addison Lindley (Madison) in an 8-0 walk off win in six innings.

The game was scoreless through the first three innings despite the Lady Wolves getting at least one base runner on in each. However, the Lady Wolves broke the stalemate with three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Abby Burnette (Brookhaven) got the offense started with a one-out double and then took third on a wild pitch. Stella Roberts (Raymond) then drew a walk and stole second. Brooklyn Reine (Kentwood, LA) then delivered an RBI-single scoring Burnette to give the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead. After Reine stole second, Roberts scored on a sacrifice fly by Noelle Laiche (Gonzales, LA) while Ayari VanBlaircom (Daphne, AL) hit an RBI-single scoring Reine and increasing the lead to 3-0.

The Lady Wolves added two runs in the bottom of the fifth as Emilie Williams started the inning with a leadoff walk. Morgan Chisolm (Madison) then hit the most exciting play in the game as she hit a ball down the left field line and rounded all the bases for a two-run inside-the-park home run, her ninth of the season, extending the lead to 5-0.

The Lady Wolves scored the final three runs in the bottom of the sixth as Laiche hit a leadoff double to start the inning. VanBlaircom then hit an RBI-single, scoring Laiche, and advancing to third on the play. Five pitches later, Brelie Phillips (Conehatta) demolished a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a walk-off two-run home run, her 22nd of the season tying her for second most in a single season, ended the game with an 8-0 victory for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled ten hits as Ayari VanBlaircom, Emilie Williams, and Abby Burnette led the way with two hits apiece while Brelie Phillips, Morgan Chisolm, Brooklyn Reine, and Noelle Laiche had one hit each. VanBlaircom, Phillips, and Chisolm led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with two apiece while Reine and Laiche had one RBI each.

Addison Lindley was perfect while earning her 24th victory of the season and improving to 24-3. Lindley needed just 74 pitches to get through the six innings of work as she retired all 18 batters she faced and her 24 wins are now a top five mark in the NJCAA.

Co-Lin improves to 49-5 overall and will play again on Thursday, May 21 against a to be determined opponent.