HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Wallace State’s eighth-ranked women’s golf team opened the spring season in convincing fashion over the weekend, winning the 2020 Mardi Gras Invitational in Mobile.
Wallace State had all five of its golfers place in the top five, each finishing within 10 shots of each other. The Lady Lions, the three-time defending Alabama Community College Conference champions, won the tournament by 50 strokes.
Maddie Nelson, a freshman from Vestavia Hills High, was the tournament’s low medalist, carding a 25-over par 169.
Teammate Savannah Hughes, another WSCC freshman, was right on Nelson’s heels, carding a 171 (90-81).
Lauren Cole finished third for Wallace State (173), Claire Newby placed fourth (175) and Danielle Boumpastore was fifth (179).
Sophomore Abby Grimes and freshman Carly Havens round out the roster for the Lady Lions this season.
Wallace State competes next in the Calhoun Invitational March 6-8.
Wallace State men’s golf
Wallace State’s men’s golf team opened the 2020 spring season recently at the Titan Winter Invitational in Melbourne, Fla.
The Lions placed 11th overall, carding a 33-over par 932.
Wallace State sophomore Carter Goodwin finished tied for ninth overall with four other golfers, carding a 5-over 221. Goodwin, an Appalachian State commit, tallied his sixth Top 10 finish at Wallace State.
Patrick Minor finished with a 20-over 236 for the Lions, Allen Michael Burnett shot a 22-over 238 and Joshua Darracott a 239.
Parker Davis rounded out the field for the Lions.
Hunter McKelvy and Kenlee Nix are returning sophomores this spring and Alex Flint, Logan Maddox and Brian Spicer are freshmen.
The Lions travel next to the Coastal Alabama Invitational Feb. 16-18.
Wallace State basketball sweeps Lawson State
Wallace State’s basketball teams swept Lawson State at home on Saturday.
The 20th-ranked Lady Lions, playing in only their second home game in 52 days, overcame a nine-point halftime deficit and prevailed 75-69.
Sophomore Imari Martin, the ACCC’s leading scorer, paced the way with 28 points and five rebounds.
Tawana Nevels recorded her eighth double-double of the season for the Lady Lions, finishing with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Jasmine Baker registered her fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and freshman Olivia Howard added eight points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Wallace State (19-4, 5-1 ACCC) outscored Lawson State 26-17 in the fourth quarter after trailing by three points at the outset of the period.
Wallace State travels to Gadsden State on Thursday for its final road game of the season.
Wallace State’s men capped the sweep against Lawson State with a 79-70 win, earning a third straight conference victory.
Freshman Juwan Johnson posted his first career double-double for Wallace State (15-10, 6-3), finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds. He went 10 of 17 from the field, hitting three 3-pointers.
Kuran Garner finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Lions, while Markise Davis had 13 points and six rebounds off the bench. Kendall Cotner contributed 10 points and nine rebounds.
The Lions host Marion Military Institute today at 5 p.m., before traveling to Gadsden State on Thursday. Both Wallace State teams host Southern Union on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m.
Wallace State softball
Wallace State’s 18th-ranked softball team opened the 2020 season over the weekend, winning a pair of games in the Dothan Invitational, hosted by Chipola College. The Lions notched wins against Northwest Florida State College and LSU-Eunice.
Sophomore Callie Ryan had seven hits over the weekend, including a double, three RBIs, four runs scored and two stolen bases. Chaney Phillips finished with a homer, double and three RBIs among her six hits.
Freshman Olivia Ball, from West Point, hit a pair of home runs and had six RBIs, while Brantly Bonds finished with five hits, including two doubles. Bonds drove in three runs and had a pair of steals.
Addie Robinson, the 2019 ACCC Player of the Year, scored five runs and had four RBIs, while Erin Chambless and Andrea Harbin each drove in three runs during the tournament. Harbin and sophomore Katelyn Williams each homered.
Freshman pitchers Haley Folds and Josie Thompson were the winning pitchers for Wallace State. Folds struck out 14 batters over 15 innings, and Thompson yielded no earned runs over seven innings.
Wallace State is coming off a 50-12 campaign last season in which the team made a rare early exit without winning a conference championship.
“This team has a completely different identity compared to last year’s team, but I think we have a responsibility to get back on track and restore our program as far as achievements go. We’re not supposed to leave Alabaster (at the conference tournament) without hardware. We’re putting in the work and preparing for that first weekend in May. We want to do what Wallace State softball is supposed to do,” said Wallace State coach A.J. Daugherty, who’s entering his fourth season with the Lions.
Wallace State softball is a two-time NJCAA Division I national champion and a 12-time ACCC champion.
Jordan McMeans, Lauren Quigley, Riley McWaters, and Katie Wood round out the sophomore class.
Freshmen on the team also include Raven Clark, Ty Wilson, pitcher Madison Sanders, Abigail Beach, Emma Hyche, infielder Kallie Cartee, Macy Anderson, Lauren McCoy, Madisen Adams and Lily Calvert.
Daugherty has a 138-46 record at Wallace State, leading the Lions to a pair of conference championships and NJCAA national tournament appearances.
Wallace State travels to Columbia State on Tuesday and to the Sun Chief Classic in Gulf Shores this weekend.
The Lions lost to Lake Land College, Gordon State and the College of Central Florida in Dothan.
Wallace State baseball
Wallace State’s baseball team split a pair of games at Columbia State on Sunday.
In the 5-2 win, Ty Hill, Brennan McCullough, Kevin Dowdell, Colton Yeager and Jack Haney each had an RBI. McCullough had a double and Dowdell a triple. Nicho Jordan and
Bradey Hulin each recorded a single and a stolen base for the Lions.
Drew Talley earned his first win in a Wallace State uniform, striking out nine batters over six innings. He allowed only one earned run on two hits.
In the 7-6 loss, McCullough homered, doubled and finished with four RBIs. Freshman Breydon Edmondson had a pair of hits, including a double, and two RBIs.
Jordan had a pair of hits and scored a run, while Dowdell singled, stole a base and scored two runs.
Hill and Yeager each singled and scored and Hulin and Caleb Ragland added a single apiece.
Wallace State hosts Coastal Alabama-North on Thursday beginning at 2 p.m.
Wallace State coach Randy Putman is three wins shy of 1,100 career victories with the Lions.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.
