WSCC athletics roundup: Softball remains tied for first in ACCC North after strong weekend; baseball wins four-game set vs. Calhoun

HANCEVILLE – Wallace State’s defending state champion softball team remains atop the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) North Division standings after winning three of four games over the weekend.
The Lady Lions (41-10, 14-4 ACCC) split a Saturday doubleheader with Snead State and swept Shelton State at Bobby McCracken Stadium Sunday.
Wallace State, which donated all of its proceeds to research for Breast Cancer Awareness on Saturday, beat Snead State 8-4 in the first game before losing 2-0 in the finale.
In the opener, Wallace State sophomore outfielder Shaq Morris delivered the clutch hit, connecting on a fourth-inning grand slam. Paige Rowland finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base, Brittany Gillison added an RBI single, Kori Benson had a double and an RBI and Madeline Lee had a run-scoring single.
Katie Gentle was 2-for-4 for the Lady Lions in the loss while Lee, Morris, Gillison and Victoria Frith had a single apiece.
Against Shelton State, Wallace State prevailed 13-4 and 6-2.
In the first game, Benson and Maria Mitchell each hit three-run homers in a seven-run sixth inning, ending the game by mercy rule. Hancock finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs, Frith had a pair of hits and an RBI, Gentle contributed an RBI single, Rowland was 2-for-3 with a double, run scored and two RBIs, Lee was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored and Morris added a single and an RBI and scored twice.
Four Lady Lions had multiple hits in the second game. Rowland was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, Hancock had two hits, an RBI and scored two runs, Gentle finished 2-for-3 and Benson was 2-for-4.
Mitchell accounted for two RBIs, Gillison had a single and scored a run and Frith was 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Right-hander BreeAnna Blevins (19-4) earned a win in both doubleheaders, striking out 15 batters in 13 innings.
Lindsey DeFee improved to 19-5 after striking out seven Shelton State hitters in six innings. She recorded 10 strikeouts in the tough-luck loss to Snead State.
Wallace State wraps up conference action Tuesday, hosting Marion Military in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
Wallace State baseball wins three of four from Calhoun
Wallace State baseball inched closer to its 23^rd postseason appearance under coach Randy Putman after winning a four-game series against Calhoun over the weekend.
The Lions rallied for a pair of come-from-behind victories in Decatur last Thursday, winning both games 10-8. Wallace State (25-19-1, 17-11) completed the series victory with a 4-2 win at home Saturday before falling 3-1 in the finale.
Wallace State sophomore shortstop Nathan Vincent had an impressive series, finishing 7-for-15 with a grand slam, double, three walks and eight RBIs.
Jeremiah Tullidge also finished the series with seven hits, including a triple, double, a pair of RBIs and three walks. Outfielder Brodie Jeffery had five hits, including a double, during the four-game stretch, Wayne Carrell added five hits, including a double, and three RBIs, Andrew Dennis finished with five hits and two RBIs and Frank Alcantara added four singles.
During the opening games in Decatur, Wallace State pitcher Bret Marks earned a win and a save in relief. He went 1 1/3 perfect innings to pick up the win and one scoreless inning to notch the save. Lefty Izaac Yarbrough also collected his first save.
At home, Lions’ right-hander Alex Hegner put together his best outing of the season, tossing a complete game in a 4-2 victory. He induced 18 groundouts, recorded five strikeouts and scattered two runs on seven hits.
Marks went the distance in the series finale, but Calhoun scraped together the eventual game-winning runs in the sixth, handing the Wallace State ace only his second loss of the season. The Lions won seven of eight games against the Warhawks this season.
Wallace State, currently the ACCC North Division second seed, dips out of conference play Wednesday, hosting Columbia (Tenn.) State in a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit wallacestate.edu.