Lady Wolves Dominate Bobcats to Punch Ticket to National Championship

OXFORD, Ala. – The Co-Lin Softball team continued their time at the NJCAA DII National Tournament with a semifinal game against MACCC foe Jones on Thursday, May 23, at Choccolocco Park. The No. 5 seeded, and No. 3 ranked Lady Wolves dominated the No. 3 seeded, and No. 7 ranked Bobcats allowing just one hit and one unearned run in a 9-1 victory to give themselves the winner's advantage in the National Championship.

The Lady Wolves jumped ahead of the Bobcats as they took an early lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first as Brelie Phillips (Conehatta) reached first on an error and then took second on the play. Phillips then advanced to third after a flyout by Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie) and then Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA) drew a walk to put two runners on with one out. Avery Williams (Olive Branch) then hit an RBI-single scoring Phillips and giving the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead while Efferson took second. After both runners advanced on a groundout by Kynlee Madere (Paulina, LA), Emeri Warren (Sebastopol) hit a two-out, RBI-single scoring Efferson and increasing the lead to 2-0.

The Lady Wolves then added a run in the top of the third as Avery Williams and Madere hit back-to-back singles to start the inning and then advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Warren. Avery Williams then scored on a sacrifice fly by Emilie Williams (Summit) increasing the lead to 3-0. The Bobcats then took advantage of an error by the Lady Wolves in the bottom of the fourth to score their only run and cut the lead down to 3-1.

The Lady Wolves then exploded for five runs in the top of the sixth as Emilie Williams was hit-by-pitch to start the inning while Carson Hughey (Brookhaven) hit a bunt single to put two runners on with no outs. Later in the inning, Banes hit a one-out RBI-single scoring Emilie Williams to increase the lead to 4-1. Efferson then stepped up to the plate, took one swing of the bat, and crushed the first pitch she saw for a three-run home run, her team lead tying 11th of the season, gave the Lady Wolves a 7-1 lead. Avery Williams then stepped up and zipped a ball down the left field line which resulted in an inside the park home run, her seventh of the season, increased the lead to 8-1.

The Lady Wolves added their final run in the top of the seventh as Stella Roberts (Raymond) drew a leadoff walk to start the inning. Later in the inning, Hughey hit a one-out single to put two runners on in the inning. Phillips then followed with an RBI-single scoring Roberts and increasing the lead to 9-1.

The Bobcats then went groundout, flyout, groundout to end the game and secure the victory for the Lady Wolves.

The Lady Wolves totaled 12 hits as a team with Avery Williams and Carson Hughey leading the way with three hits apiece while Emeri Warren had two hits with Brelie Phillips, Olivia Banes, Taylor Efferson, and Kynlee Madere had one hit each. Efferson led the Lady Wolves in RBIs with three, Avery Williams had two, while Phillips, Banes, Warren, and Emilie Williams had one RBI each.

Taylor Efferson improved to 18-2 with the complete game win while giving up one unearned on one hit with two walks and six strikeouts.

Co-Lin improves to 47-5 and will go into the National Championship game with winner's advantage against Jones. First pitch between the Bobcats and the Lady Wolves is set for 1 p.m., at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.