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POPLARVILLE, Miss. – The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Lady Wolves’ postseason heroics came to end Thursday night as Co-Lin fell to No. 10 Itawamba 11-1 in the NJCAA Region XXIII tournament semifinals. The Lady Wolves reached the semis after powering past Pearl River 9-3 in the first elimination game of the day. Co-Lin finished the year 31-17, 16-12 overall, the best finish since 2010, while Itawamba, the 2019 MACJC State Champions, improved to 37-13-1, 23-5 and earned their first NJCAA National Tournament bid in school history.
Itawamba scored early in Co-Lin’s second game of the day as the Indians plated four runs in the bottom of the first. The runs came from a pair of RBI doubles and an RBI single.
Co-Lin responded in the top of the third with one run as Callie Fortenberry roped a double early to get into scoring position. Marley Poole followed with an RBI single to center field. The hard-hit ball cut the Indian’s lead to 4-1.
The Lady Wolves got out of a major jam in the bottom of the third as ICC loaded the bases, but Makenzie Smith forced a flyout to end the Indians’ threat with no damage.
Co-Lin went down in order in the top of the fourth and ICC capitalized on the momentum in the bottom of the frame with seven runs on four hits and two errors. The big inning pushed the lead to 11-1 going into the top of the fifth.
The Lady Wolves got runners on board in the top of the fifth with a single from Katelyn Hayman. Callie Fortenberry reached base later in the frame on an error, but Co-Lin was unable to bring the runners around, which ended the game 11-1 in a run-rule victory.
Kaytlon Ward took the loss for Co-Lin in the circle as she went one-third of an inning, allowing four runs on three hits and walking zero. Makenzie Smith and Mackenzie Grosboth saw action as well.
Poole went 2-for-3 to lead the Lady Wolves at the plate.
By: Lucas Calvert
