Lions Softball Improve to 40-9 With Series Sweep of Calhoun
HANCEVILLE, AL | The Lions extended their win streak to nine games following a series sweep of Calhoun. They have won 15 of their last 16 with two weeks remaining in the regular season. Wallace defeated the Warhawks 6-1, 8-3, 13-4, and 3-2.
Wallace State improves to 40-9 overall and 20-4 in conference. Calhoun falls to 22-21 overall and 9-15 in conference play..
GM 1: Wallace State 6, Calhoun 1
Wallace jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Charli Kyser's single brought home Brandi Phillips, who had doubled with two outs.
The Lions extended their lead to 5-0 with four runs in the bottom of the third. The inning started with Kaelyn Jones and Tenayja Thomas being hit by pitches. After stealing second and third, Jones scored on Phillips' sacrifice fly. With two outs, Brooklyn Sertell walked, giving Wallace runners at first and second. Blakelyn Austin then singled to load the bases. Leah Graves was then hit by a pitch, which plated Thomas. Reese Decker then singled to left to drive home Sertell and Austin.
Jones singled to open the bottom of the fourth. She advanced to second on Thomas's sacrifice bunt and then to third on Phillips's ground out. She scored on a passed ball to extend the lead to 6-0.
Calhoun scored a run in the top of the seventh to cut the Lions' lead to 6-1.
Jones finished with a hit, two runs scored, and three stolen bases to lead Wallace State at the plate. Decker added a hit and two RBIs, while Phillips, Graves, and Kyser each had a hit and an RBI.
Madeline Howard (14-3) earned the win with a complete game. She allowed one run on two hits.
GM 2: Wallace State 8, Calhoun 3
After falling behind 1-0, the Lions scored a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1. Wallace State opened the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases. Kyser then hit a sacrifice fly that plated Jones from third.
They extended the lead to 5-1 with four runs in the bottom of the second. Graves opened the inning with a home run to center. Ashlyn Burns and Jones hit back-to-back singles to give the Lions runners at first and second. Thomas then singled to drive home Burns. Phillips then singled to plate Jones and Thomas.
Calhoun added two runs in the top of the third to cut the Lions' lead to 5-3.
The bottom of the sixth started with a single by Thomas and a double by Phillips to give Wallace runners at second and third. Kyser then hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Thomas and Phillips. After Sertell doubled, Graves singled to drive home Sertell for the 8-3 victory.
Thomas and Graves each finished with three hits to lead the Lions. Graves had two RBIs and a run scored, while Thomas had an RBI and two runs scored. Phillips added two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored, while Kyser had a hit and three RBIs. Jones added two hits and two runs scored.
Ava Smith (14-4) picked up the win after pitching four innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Payton Bailey earned the save with three innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit while striking out three.
GM 3: Wallace State 13, Calhoun 4
The Warhawks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with back-to-back doubles.
The Lions cut the lead to 2-1 when Kyser's sacrifice fly drove home Phillips, who had tripled the play before. Calhoun pushed their lead to 3-1 with a run in the bottom of the third.
Wallace State took its first lead of the game with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. After Grave singled to open the inning, Lexie Kelly walked to give the Lions runners at first and second. Thomas then singled to center and drove home Graves from second to make the score 3-2. Kelly then scored on Burns' sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3-3. Phillips then doubled to plate Thomas for a 4-3 lead.
After Sertell doubled to open the fifth inning, Austin doubled to bring home Sertell for a 5-3 lead. Two walks then loaded the bases for the Lions. Burns was hit by a pitch, which plated Austin for a 6-3 lead.
Singles by Sertell and Austin and a walk by Graves loaded the bases for Wallace in the top of the sixth. Kelly then grounded into a fielder's choice but drove home Sertell for a 7-3 lead. After Austin scored on a passed ball, Decker singled to plate Graves for a 9-3 lead. Thomas then reached on an error that brought home Kelly for a 10-3 lead. Back-to-back-to-back singles by Phillips, Kyser, and C Walker made the score 13-3.
Calhoun added a run in the bottom of the sixth to make the final score 13-4.
Phillips finished 4-of-5 with two RBIs and two runs to lead Wallace State at the plate. Sertelle added three hits and two runs scored, while Kyser, Austin, and Grave each had two hits. Kyser and Burns each had two RBIs.
Phillips (10-2) pitched a complete game to earn the win. She allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out five.
GM 4: Wallace State 3, Calhoun 2
The final game of the series saw the only runs of the game come in the first inning. Pitching dominated the rest of the game.
Thomas walked to open the game. She stole second and then scored on Burns' double to left. With two out, Sertell homered to center, bringing home Burns and herself for a 3-0 Wallace lead.
Calhoun scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 3-2.
Both teams threatened a couple of times, but the Lions and Warhawks' pitching slammed the door shut.
Burns had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored to lead the Lions at the plate. Sertell added a hit and two RBIs.
Howard (15-3) pitched a complete game to earn the win. She allowed two runs on six hits while striking out five.
Upcoming
Wallace will start a four-game conference series with Coastal South when the Coyotes visit for a doubleheader on Thursday. Coastal South is 32-18 overall and 14-10 in conference play. They have won six of their last 10 games.
Coastal South is led at the plate by Taylor Hunt, who leads the team with a .368 average. Sydni Carpenter leads the team with 14 home runs, while Gabby Miller leads with 29 stolen bases.
In the circle, the Coyotes are led by Lauren Mounce, who leads the conference with 16 wins and is second with 101 strikeouts.