Wallace State freshman infielder Jodie Farnetti throws across the diamond on Feb. 24.
HANCEVILLE – Wallace State’s basketball teams wrapped up the regular season at Snead State on Monday night and now prepare for the postseason.
Wallace State’s women’s team hosts an Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) play-in game vs. Wallace Community College-Selma on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Tom Drake Coliseum. The winner advances to play Alabama Southern on March 8 at Lawson State.
The Lady Lions (20-9) are seeded 3rd in the North after finishing 6-4 in conference play. Wallace-Selma (5-24) is the South’s sixth seed.
Wallace State is seeking its first conference title since 2011 and its second trip to the NJCAA national tournament in three seasons.
Wallace State has advanced to the ACCC tournament title game in four of coach Ron Burdette’s previous five seasons.
Kelsey Houston leads Wallace State in scoring with an average of 11.5 points per game and leads the conference with 80 3-pointers made.
Freshman Joy Sadler averages 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while sophomore Morgan Higgins adds 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds.
Meanwhile, John Meeks and the Wallace State men hit the road Saturday for their ACCC play-in game. The Lions (13-16) travel to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (17-13) for a 3 p.m. affair.
Meeks has Wallace State in the postseason for the sixth consecutive season, including leading the program to conference titles in 2012 and 2014.
Sophomore Jaylen McCoy pours in 14 points per game for Wallace State, while Rashawn Green puts in 8.8 per game. Zach Allison leads the Lions in assists (106) along with averaging seven points per game.
Saturday’s winner advances to play host Lawson State on March 7 at 7 p.m.
Wallace State baseball
Wallace State’s baseball team lost only its fourth game of the season on Tuesday, dropping a 3-1 affair to Columbia State at James C. Bailey Stadium.
Austin Triplett finished with a pair of hits for Wallace State, Maison Goodwin had an RBI single, and Jonathan Smith, Justin Henle and Palmer Ford each had a single.
Seth McWaters started for the Lions (16-4) and allowed three runs on seven hits.
Wallace Henry and Tanner Rusk each went 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, striking out three apiece.
Wallace State beat Tyler Junior College and Baton Rouge Community College in Mississippi last weekend.
Freshman Dalton Sinquefield had four hits and four RBIs over a three-game stretch last weekend, including hitting a solo homer and a double for the Lions. Cole Collins had five hits and four RBIs, Kolby Robinson finished with five hits and three runs scored and Ford had four hits.
Lefty Jesse Scott was dominant in the win over Tyler Junior College, striking out 14 hitters and scattering two runs on three hits in a complete-game effort.
Blake Rivera (3-0) was the winning pitcher against Baton Rouge, allowing one run on four hits in six innings.
Wallace State is idle until March 8 when it travels to East Mississippi.
Coach Randy Putman is 11 wins away from 1,000 career victories after his team has won 16 of its first 20 games this season.
Wallace State women’s golf
Wallace State’s women’s golf team completed its first tournament of the season on Tuesday, finishing 4th in the Badger Invitational at Mobile’s Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course.
Freshman Annalee Stephens led Wallace State with a 29-over par 245. She finished 13th overall as only one player in the tournament finished under par.
Bradi Ruehl finished tied for 14th with a 246, and Ashley McCormick carded a 249.
Abbi Yeager and Dalys Mullican rounded out the field for Wallace State.
The Lady Lions were the only junior college to compete in the nine-team field and placed in front of Spring Hill College, Jackson State University and Alcorn State. William Carey University won the tournament with an 11-over 899.
Wallace State’s next tournament is March 12-14 at the inaugural Calhoun Invitational in Decatur.
Wallace State tennis
Wallace State’s men’s tennis team picked up its first win of the season over the weekend, knocking off Gadsden State, 6-3, in a conference match.
Cade Pressnell (6-2, 6-4), Donny Camp (6-2, 6-4) Toddric Stallworth (6-2, 6-2) and Damon Calvert (6-2, 6-2) earned singles victories for the Lions against Gadsden State.
In doubles action, Wallace State’s Stallworth and Luke Bowden beat Gadsden State’s Kyle Woodruff and Alex Sanchez by an 8-4 score. Camp and Check Freeman also registered a doubles victory for the Lions, prevailing 9-7.
Also in ACCC action, Wallace State’s men’s and women’s teams lost to Marion Military Institute.
Calvert and Luke Bowden collected singles wins for Wallace State, while Camp and Freeman won a doubles match against the Tigers.
Wallace State’s women’s team travels next to Snead State on Friday.
Both tennis teams host East Mississippi on March 12.
Wallace State softball
Wallace State softball’s doubleheader with East Mississippi was postponed Tuesday after the Lions split a twinbill against Columbia State on Feb. 24.
In a 6-5 win over Columbia State, Amber Hammonds homered and doubled. Taylor Beshears had a double and a triple and scored two runs. Karra Elam finished with a pair of hits and had two RBIs, and Brittany Ledbetter doubled and had two RBIs.
Wallace State, winners of six of its last 10 games, travels to Alabama Southern on Wednesday.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu.
