HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Wallace State’s 13th-ranked men’s golf team has punched its ticket to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Championship on May 14-17 after finishing fourth recently at the NJCAA District 4 Championship in Marion, Illinois.
It will mark Wallace State’s 24th trip to the national championship.
Wallace State freshman Matt Smith made the All-Tournament team at the District 4 Championship, finishing tied for fifth. He carded a 10-over par 223 (71-71-81).
Carter Goodwin and Anthony Lumpkin tied for 14th with two other golfers as both Lions shot an 18-over 231.
Conner Bruce finished with a 236 (77-83-76) and Cody Maddox with a 238 (79-79-80).
Wallace State carded a 912 for the tournament (303-307-302).
Eastern Florida State won the tournament title by eight strokes over Central Alabama.
Wallace State’s best finish at nationals has been runner-up on three different occasions (2014, 1996, 1993). Two Wallace State golfers (Cooper Brown, 2014; Aksel Olsen, 2013) have won NJCAA Division I individual national championships.
Wallace State baseball sweeps Central Alabama
Wallace State’s baseball team is on a roll as the calendar flips to May this week. The Lions (26-14, 19-9 ACCCC) have won six consecutive games after sweeping Central Alabama over the weekend.
Wallace State, the defending ACCC North Division champion, is two games out of first place with four games remaining in the regular season. The final conference regular season series begins Thursday vs. Marion Military Institute at home.
The Lions picked up a pair of wins at Alexander City last Friday to open the series, winning 9-0 and 3-1.
David Rutledge and Kevin Dowdell had a pair of hits in the 9-0 victory. Easton Kirk drove in two runs and Rutledge, Ty Hill, Nate Lloyd and Noah Fondren each collected an RBI.
Freshman Jerry Dale Bowman was the winning pitcher with six scoreless innings for Wallace State. He struck out eight.
Sophomore Garrett Brown remained hot on the mound in the 3-1 victory, tossing a complete game. He scattered one run on five hits, striking out 11 Central Alabama batters.
Fondren had a pair of hits in the win, while Brady Sherrill went 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Brennan McCullough added an RBI.
In Sunday’s home doubleheader, Wallace State prevailed 7-3 and 8-2.
Sophomore Robert Coleman hurled his second consecutive complete game in the 7-3 victory. He yielded only two earned runs and struck out a pair.
Kirk finished with a double and three RBIs; Hill had a pair of hits, including a double, and RBIs; and Fondren, McCullough and Collin Rogers each added a single.
In the series finale, Dowdell hit his fourth homer of the season, finishing with four RBIs. Fondren had a pair of hits and scored a run.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.
