WSCC ATHLETICS: Softball moves up to No. 7 in NJCAA Division I ranks; Basketball, No. 18 Volleyball, Tennis & Baseball updates

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Wallace State’s bench, including assistant coach Cameron Prather, reacts after a big run by the Lions. (WSCC Athletics)

HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Wallace State’s softball team is among the Top 10 teams in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) ranks.

The Lions (19-2) are 7th overall after a profitable weekend in Columbus, Ga., which saw Wallace State tally five wins, including a 12-8 triumph over top-ranked Florida Southwestern.

Wallace State also defeated Wabash Valley College (10-5), Georgia Military College (12-4) and Gordon State (5-1), extending its winning streak to 11 games.

The Lions host Georgia Highlands for a doubleheader today beginning at 2 p.m., before opening conference action at Snead State on Thursday.

Sophomore Brantly Bonds had an outstanding tournament run over the weekend, finishing 12-for-15 with a homer, four doubles and eight RBIs. Bonds is second in the ACCC with 29 RBIs and was named the ACCC Player of the Week on Tuesday.  

Felicity Frame had seven combined hits and scored seven runs, Maddie Cartron cranked a pair of homers and finished with six RBIs throughout, and Gracie Benton went 6-for-14 with a homer, two doubles and four RBIs. Morgan White had four hits, including a homer and three RBIs.

Cartron and Benton are tied for the conference lead with 10 homers apiece. White is tied for third with seven. Frame is tied for the conference lead with 16 stolen bases.

Raven Clark combined to pitch 7 2/3 effective innings, yielding only three runs and six hits.

Lily Calvert tossed a complete game in the tournament finale, scattering one run on three hits.

Wallace State basketball

Wallace State’s men’s basketball takes a three-game winning streak to Jasper tonight after both teams swept Snead State on March 5.

Four of Wallace State’s five starters finished with double figures in a 90-53 triumph. The Lions (6-8, 4-6 ACCC) limited the Parsons to only 12 points in the first half.

Kuran Garner flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, nine assists and seven steals. Tyler Hutchieson and Miguel Miranda scored 17 points apiece, Jevon Laidler had 15 points and Cole Maddox added 13.

Wallace State used its stingy defense to sustain a 50-12 lead at the break.

The Lady Lions (7-5, 3-5 ACCC) began the doubleheader with a 90-44 win of their own.

Tatyanna Davis recorded her second career double-double, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Freshman Payton Golden had 16 points, fueled by three 3-pointers, and seven assists, and Kallie Allen contributed 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Olivia Howard, a Spanish Fort native, had 12 points for the Lady Lions. Kashara Preston finished with eight points and Makyia Broughton added seven, both off the bench.

Wallace State led 17-12 at the end of the first and extended its lead to 35-23 at the break. The Lady Lions put the game away with a 24-point third quarter.  

Wallace State’s women are idle until March 16.

Wallace State Volleyball

Wallace State’s 18th-ranked volleyball squad is still perfect on the season after reeling off three more wins over the weekend.

The 17-0 Lions registered match wins over Walters State (21-25, 17-25, 25-19, 25-14, 15-12), Spartanburg Methodist (25-12, 25-19, 18-25, 25-14) and USC Lancaster (25-14, 25-5, 25-13).

Sophomore Anna Renshaw combined for 45 digs, 45 assists and 10 kills over the weekend, Mattrice Harris had 28 kills and six blocks, Temperance Chatman racked up 58 digs and Savannah Rutledge finished with 51 assists.

Harris was named the ACCC Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Tori Walker finished with 23 digs and 14 kills for the Lions, MacKenzie Davis added 29 kills, eight digs and five assists, Harlee Kate Reid had 20 kills and nine digs, Tobi Trotter contributed 27 digs and six assists and Laci Reese accounted for 19 kills.

Wallace State travels to Lawson State on Wednesday. The Lions return home on Friday, hosting Coastal Alabama-South at 3 p.m. and the Mississippi University for Women at 5 p.m.

Wallace State tennis

Wallace State’s tennis teams recently earned conference match wins against Marion Military Institute.

The men won 9-0, sweeping singles and doubles.

In singles, Sebastian Gamez earned a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 1 and Tristan Du Plessis a 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 2 for the Lions.

Also earning singles wins were Connor Coots (6-0, 6-4), Eli Hagan (6-3, 6-3), Tad Euler (6-1, 6-2) and Gage Anderson (6-0, 6-2).

In doubles, Gamez and Coots prevailed 8-4. Du Plessis and Hagen won 8-5 and Anderson and Hudson Thompson won 8-1.

Wallace State’s women won 5-4. Coach Tim Garner said it was one of the more thrilling and impressive victories the women’s program has earned since being reestablished.

In singles, Micah Oldacre (6-0, 6-1), Breanna Vann (6-0, 6-0) and Tara Trammel (6-3, 6-0) each won their matches.

In doubles, Wallace State’s Halle McCrory and Vann teamed up for a 9-7 win and Trammel and Oldacre won 8-0.

Over the weekend, the men won 8-1 over Mississippi Gulf Coast and 8-1 over East Central Mississippi.

Gamez, Du Plessis, Coots, Hagan, Euler and Anderson each won their singles matches against both teams.

The Lions won two of three doubles matches in both.

The Lady Lions beat East Central Mississippi, 5-4.

Natalia Barron (6-2, 6-2), McCrory (6-1, 6-4), Oldacre (6-1, 6-1) and Vann (6-2, 6-2) earned singles wins for Wallace State.

Oldacre and Trammel registered an 8-4 doubles victory.

Barron had a 6-4, 6-4 singles win in an 8-1 loss to Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Wallace State’s women travel to Central Alabama on Friday, while the men visit Gadsden State on Saturday.

Wallace State baseball

Wallace State’s baseball team was swept by Lawson State over the weekend. The Lions (8-10, 0-4 ACCC) continue conference play at home on Thursday, welcoming Snead State for a doubleheader, beginning at 2 p.m.

In the Lawson State series, Mason Walker had seven hits throughout the series and Jayce Guyette had a homer and four RBIs among his four hits. Colson Lawrence finished with four hits, including a double, home run and five RBIs.

For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.