WSCC athletics roundup: Marks, Vincent help baseball salvage finale vs. Shelton State; No. 7 softball splits with Calhoun

HANCEVILLE – Wallace State baseball ace Bret Marks scattered five hits over seven innings, and Nathan Vincent clubbed his third homer of the season to lift the Lions past Shelton State 6-1 Sunday evening, helping the team salvage the finale of the four-game, weekend series.
Marks, a 22nd round draft pick of the New York Yankees last June, went the distance in the seven-inning affair, striking out six, walking two and hitting one batter. Marks (5-2) allowed his lone run in the third inning.
Wallace State (22-16-1, 14-10 Alabama Community College Conference) jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first. Vincent, a Russellville grad, tomahawked a two-run homer to left with one out and Sawyer Williams added a run-scoring single later in the inning.
Vincent finished with a pair of hits, including the homer, Williams was 2-for-3 with the RBI, Andrew Smith finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, Haydon Bogard contributed an RBI single and Joe Klepac, Andrew Dennis and Brodie Jeffery each added singles.
Wallace State lost Sunday’s opener, 4-2. The Lions scored their runs on sacrifice flies by Williams and Wayne Carrell. Dennis finished with a double in the loss, Klepac walked three times and scored a run, Vincent walked twice and Frank Alcantara walked and singled.
Alex Hegner started for Wallace State and went six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. He struck out six. Izaac Yarbrough tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the Lions’ bullpen and Wes Gillespie 1/3 of an inning.
For Shelton State, Tanner Ascraft collected three RBIs.
Wallace State dropped the opening games of the series in Tuscaloosa, losing 11-1 and 11-3 Friday.
The Lions host Motlow State in a doubleheader Tuesday, beginning at 4 p.m.
Wallace State softball splits with Calhoun
No. 7 Wallace State softball (33-8, 6-2 ACCC) split its doubleheader with Calhoun over the weekend, losing 6-4 and winning 4-0.
Wallace State’s Kori Benson clubbed her team-leading 12^th homer in the second game to support BreeAnna Blevins’ three-hit, 12-strikeout gem.
Maria Mitchell added a solo homer for the defending state champions, Libby Olinger had a pair of hits and an RBI and Katie Gentle was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Blevins improved to 15-3 on the season.
In the opener, Wallace State struggled to overcome four errors. Shaq Morris had a pair of hits in the loss, including her first home run in a Wallace State uniform. Benson and Victoria Frith each had RBI singles, Laken Hancock added an RBI and Brittany Gillison contributed a double.
Lindsey DeFee (15-4) was the losing pitcher for Wallace State, yielding only two earned runs.
Wallace State has 12 games within the next week. The Lady Lions are home Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, playing doubleheaders each day.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit wallacestate.edu.