Lions Softball Drop First Game of ACCC Tournament in Extra Innings

Alabaster, Ala. — The Lions opened play in the ACCC Div I Softball Championships with a 5-3 loss to Northwest-Shoals in eight innings. Wallace State falls to 46-12 while Northwest-Shoals improves to 26-28-1.

The Lions will face Snead State at noon on Friday. Snead State lost to Calhoun 4-2 in their first tournament game.

Northwest-Shoals 5, Wallace State 3

Northwest-Shoals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after a hit batter and back-to-back singles to plate the game’s first run.

Wallace got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Kaelyn Jones’ single to left played Leah Graves and Lexie Kelly. Grave got on base with a single, while Kelly got on after a fielder’s choice. The runs gave the Lions a 2-1 lead.

The Patriots would take the lead back in their next at-bat with a two-out, two-run home run to take a 3-2 lead.

Brandy Phillips opened the bottom of the fifth with a triple to give Wallace a runner in scoring position. Two batters later, Brooklyn Sertell grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring Phillips home from third to tie the game at 3-3.

Northwest-Shoals retook the lead, 5-3, with a two-out double in the top of the eighth. The Patriots held the Lions off in the bottom of the inning to get the win.

Phillips finished 2-of-3 with a run scored to lead Wallace State. Kelly had a double and a run scored, while Grave had a single and a run scored. Jones added a hit and an RBI, while Sertell added an RBI.