HANCEVILLE – Wallace State’s baseball team lost its season opener Friday, falling to Motlow (Tennessee) State, 4-2, at James C. Bailey Stadium.
Wallace State freshman Cole Collins was 2 for 4 in his collegiate debut, scoring a run in the first inning for the Lions.
Wallace State led 1-0 through four innings behind starter Braxton Light. He recorded four strikeouts in five innings, allowing two runs to Motlow State in the fifth inning.
The Lions tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth after Stephen Dobbs scored on a wild pitch.
Motlow State regained the lead in the seventh, tallying a run on a wild pitch of its own against Wallace State’s Will Eiland. The Bucks added an insurance run in the ninth on Casey Wehrhahn’s sacrifice fly.
Dobbs had an RBI single for Wallace State in the first.
Wallace State hosts Volunteer State for a doubleheader on both Saturday and Sunday. The twinbill begins at 1 p.m. each day.
Wallace State basketball teams sweep Gadsden State on road
Wallace State’s basketball teams earned their first road sweep of the season at Gadsden State on Thursday night.
Wallace State’s women’s team won its third conference game in a row with a 57-52 victory, and the 20th-ranked men continued to roll with a 79-62 triumph over the Cardinals.
Janese Richardson finished with 13 points and seven rebounds for Wallace State and Jemaiya Lee added 10 points and eight boards as the Lady Lions (11-14, 3-3 Alabama Community College Conference) overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to also earn their fifth win in six games.
Morgan Higgins had seven points and 12 rebounds for Wallace State and Kelsey Houston contributed five off the bench.
Wallace State led 20-17 after the first quarter and 32-24 at the half.
Gadsden State made a strong push early in the second half, outscoring Wallace State 19-8 to grab a 43-40 edge after three quarters.
Wallace State had the final run, however, using a 17-9 push in the fourth quarter to secure its first road win in league play.
Wallace State outrebounded Gadsden State, 60-42.
Jaide Walker led Gadsden State in the loss with a game-high 16 points.
Men’s Basketball
Wallace State 79, Gadsden State 62
Sophomore forward Tyrell Clary poured in a career-high 20 points off the bench, propelling the Lions to a season sweep over Gadsden State.
Sophomore Marcus Barham added 13 points and reserve point guard Darren Williams had 12 points and five assists for Wallace State, which has won four consecutive games and 13 of 15.
Wallace State (21-4, 6-1 ACCC) led 46-38 at the half, two days after being ranked at No. 20 in the NJCAA poll.
Derylton Hill, Xavier Mills and Kylen Butler finished with eight points apiece for the Lions. Hill also had 10 rebounds and Mills dished out eight assists.
Wallace State’s bench scored 38 points.
Both Wallace State teams continue conference play Monday, traveling to Southern Union for a doubleheader.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit http://athletics.wallacestate.edu/.
