Wallace State softball coach A.J. Daugherty acknowledges the location of a pitch in the Lions’ doubleheader against Central Alabama.
HANCEVILLE – Wallace State’s softball team is on a quite a roll.
The Lions swept conference foe Central Alabama at Bobby McCracken Stadium on Tuesday, winning 12-0 in five innings and 5-3, to remain perfect in Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) action.
Wallace State (24-11, 10-0 ACCC) has won 10 games in a row and 15 of its last 17.
“We’re off to a great conference start, and I think it goes back to the tough non-conference schedule we played. We’ve faced a lot of good pitching this year, and it’s prepared us for this conference grind,” said first-year Wallace State coach A.J. Daugherty. “It seems like every conference doubleheader someone new steps up and delivers a big hit. It’s cool to know that at any point someone different is going to step up and make the most of their opportunity.”
Freshman Taylor Stalnaker did her part for Wallace State in Tuesday’s finale, hitting a pair of two-run doubles and finishing with four RBIs. Her double in the fourth inning gave Wallace State a 3-1 lead. After Central Alabama tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth, Stalnaker’s go-ahead, two-run double in the bottom of the inning reclaimed the advantage for the Lions.
Sophomore ace Brittany Ledbetter recorded the final three outs with a perfect seventh inning, picking up the win in relief of Madison Grant.
Savannah Butler was the winning pitcher in the opener.
Clinging to a 1-0 lead in the opener, Wallace State broke the game open by scoring three runs in the third and adding a seven-run fourth inning.
Tanner Robertson had three hits in the opener, including a double and a triple, and scored two runs. Taylor Beshears, Karra Elam, Charlee West and Jodie Farnetti added two hits apiece for the Lions.
Stalnaker and Amber Hammonds each added a single.
In the second game, Hammonds was 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base, and West and Robertson each had a single and scored a run.
“Central Alabama is a good team. As long as we come and play Wallace State softball, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win every game,” Daugherty said.
Wallace State hits the road Thursday to Southern Union for a doubleheader.
Wallace State men’s golf
Wallace State freshman golfer Chip Willoughby finished tied for second at the Glenlakes Invitational in Foley on Tuesday, and the Lions finished third overall as they tuned up for the postseason.
Willoughby, an Albertville native, carded an 8-over par 228 (75-74-75) in the 54-hole event, earning him a spot on the All-Tournament team.
Charley Parvin and Luke Wilson tied for 12th place as each shot a 17-over 233 for Wallace State.
Garrett Senia, who was coming off an All-Tournament selection in Scottsboro, carded a 241 for the Lions, and Brent Borden shot a 242.
Wallace State placed behind Meridian (Miss.) Community College and Central Alabama. The Lions shot a collective 299 in the second round, the best mark over those 18 holes.
Wallace State carded a 312-299-313 for the tournament. Meridian won with a 37-over par 901 (297-301-303).
Willoughby finished behind Meridian’s Jacob Berry, who prevailed with a 1-over 217.
Wallace State is idle until April 9 when the Lions begin pursuit of their fourth consecutive Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) title at Scottsboro’s Goosepond Colony. The Lions have won 13 conference championships under NJCAA Hall of Fame coach Dan York.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu.
