Softball Drops Two to Wallace State

TUSCALOOSA - The Shelton State Community College softball team had the official dedication of its new softball complex on Saturday.

Unfortunately, Wallace State Hanceville crashed the party.

The Lions posted a 5-2 in game one and rallied with two runs in the seventh for a 2-1 win in game two.

Wallace State (25-4, 8-0 ACCC) extended its winning streak to 14 games with the series sweep.

Shelton State (11-11, 0-4 ACCC) took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning of the strength of the right arm of freshman pitcher Karlie Beth Beasley.

She held the Lions scoreless on one infield hit through the first six innings.

Blakelyn Austin led off the seventh with an infield single and Brooklynn Sertell followed with a base hit to right chasing Austin to third. Sertell advanced on the throw.

Kenley Vaughn was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Reece Decker brought home the tying run with a single to left. Charli Keyser broke the tie with a sac fly to right.

Shelton State put the winning run on base in the bottom of the seventh on consecutive two-out hits by freshman shortstop Gradin Haas and freshman left fielder Laila Watkins.

Freshman pinch-hitter Lilly Vold grounded out to short to end the game.

Watkins lad the Lady Bucs offense with six hits in the series, including at least one in all four games.

Beasley (4-5) suffered the loss despite her third complete game of the week. She allowed two runs on four hits and struck out seven.

Madeline Howard, who pitched in three of the four games in the series, earned the win in relief. She had a complete game win on Thursday and collected the save in Saturday's first game.

Shelton State took its only lead of the series in the fifth inning when sophomore Chloe Mitchell tripled and scored two pitches later on a wild pitch.

Wallace State scored two run in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead in Saturday's opener.  

Sophomore right hander Mackenzie Harper walked the first two batters of the game and Sertell delivered a two-run single.

A walk and two-out error extended the lead to 3-0 in the second inning.

The Lions pushed the lead to 5-0 with two more runs in the fifth. Austin had an RBI double and Keyser added an RBI single.

The Lady Bucs finally cracked the scoreboard in the sixth inning on back-to-back triples by freshman right fielder Anna Valentine and Mitchell. Sophomore third baseman Ty Williamsplated Mitchell with a sac fly.

Harper worked five innings and took the loss. She walked four batters and all four scored. 

Camdyn Bassett picked up the win.

Howard got the last five outs for her second save.

Shelton State reruns to action on Thursday, March 26 against Southern Union in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.