No. 2 Wallace State softball upset by Wabash Valley College in NJCAA Division I national tournament opener; WSCC golf in 7th place at nationals

ST. GEORGE, UTAH  –  Wallace State softball’s pursuit of a second national title in three seasons will be a lengthy journey after the second-seeded Lady Lions lost 2-1 to Wabash Valley (Ill.) College in their National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I national tournament opener at the Canyons Complex on Wednesday night.
Wabash Valley starter Allison Webster kept Wallace State (62-13) off balance throughout the night, striking out 12 and scattering one run on three hits in a complete-game effort.
Wabash Valley led 2-1 after the third inning and Webster made it hold up for the 15^th-seeded Warriors.
Wallace State, which is making its ninth national tournament appearance under coach Jayne Clem and seeking a third NJCAA Division I national title, will look to keep its season alive on Thursday as the Lady Lions play Temple (Texas) College at 3:30 p.m. Central in an elimination game.
After leaving the bases loaded in the top of the first, Wabash Valley took an early 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by leadoff hitter Carley Childress. The Warriors added their second run on a leadoff solo homer by Megan Godoyo in the third inning.
Wallace State trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third. Andrea McKenzie was hit by Webster to lead off the inning, and she came around to score two batters later after an errant throw eluded Wabash Valley first baseman Makenzie McGregor.
Sam Riley led off the fourth inning with a double for Wallace State, but Webster (23-2) kept Wallace State from tying the game.
Wallace State also stranded a leadoff runner in the sixth.
Riley finished 2 for 3 for Wallace State, while Leisha Yamauchi had a pinch-hit single.
Wallace State sophomore starter Amanda Medders (31-5) was charged with the loss after allowing two runs on six hits in two plus innings.
Rachel Ragland tossed five scoreless innings in relief of Medders, striking out three and yielding six hits.
Childress and Godoyo were each a perfect 4 for 4 for Wabash Valley, collecting eight of the team’s 12 hits.
The double-elimination tournament concludes Saturday.
WSCC golf in 7^th place at NJCAA Division I national championship in Kansas
Meanwhile, Wallace State’s golf team sits in seventh place after two rounds of action at the NJCAA Division I national championship in Newton, Kan.
The Lions, who were tied for the overall lead after the opening round, shot a 20-over par 308 on Wednesday at the Sand Creek Station Golf Course. The Lions maintain a 21-over 597 after two rounds.
Wallace State freshman Eli Marty is the Lions low medalist through Wednesday, carding a 74 on both days of the tournament. Sylas Elliott has shot a 6-over 150 after two rounds.
Wallace State is seeking its first national title in its 20^th NJCAA national tournament appearance under coach Dan York. The Lions have finished national runner-up three times during that span, including last season.
Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College leads the tournament with a 4-over 581 after two days. Eastern Florida State sits in second place, three shots behind Indian Hills, and Odessa (Texas) College is in third.
The tournament concludes on Friday.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit wallacestate.edu.