EMCC run-rules Coahoma to collect MACCC softball doubleheader road sweep

CLARKSDALE – The visiting Lions of East Mississippi Community College collected their first conference softball doubleheader sweep of the season by knocking off Coahoma, 21-3 and 16-0, in run-rule fashion during Tuesday's MACCC softball action played in Clarksdale.

During each contest, the Lions had six different players with multiple hits off CCC pitching. In the opening game, a six-run first frame was followed by a pair of tallies the next inning on Sasha King's two-run home run. Karen Wisher's leadoff home run – her second of the year and ninth of her EMCC career – paved the way for a seven-run third inning.

The visitors pushed across three more runs in both the fourth and fifth frames, while Coahoma's solo tallies in the second, third and fourth innings off EMCC winning pitcher Gail Wisher, produced the 21-3 opening-game final.

King, a transfer from Southwest Mississippi CC and former standout at Brookhaven Academy, began a perfect 8-for-8 afternoon at the plate by going 5-for-5 with five runs scored and four RBIs in the opener.

Karen Wisher and Savannah Fralix followed with three hits apiece in the first game. Gail Wisher, Raylea Atkinson and Annagrace Stewart each added two hits during EMCC's 21-hit team performance.

In the circle, Gail Wisher improved her season record to 6-7 on the year by striking out six and not issuing a walk over the first three innings before giving way to reliever Allee Bennett for the final two frames.

The nightcap went much the same way for the hot-hitting Lions, as they scored all but one of their 16 runs over the first two innings. EMCC's five-run opening frame was capped by Stewart's two-run single and also featured King's completion of hitting for the cycle on the day with an RBI triple.

After batting around in the first inning as well, the Lions sent 13 batters to the plate a frame later. The visitors' 10-run second inning was highlighted by Gail Wisher's grand slam that marked her second home run of the year and sixth of her EMCC career.

Fralix, who belted her first collegiate homer in EMCC's big second inning, threw the first two innings to improve to 3-2 on the season. Sara Frances Ramsay pitched the final two frames for the Lions.

King and Stewart led EMCC's 16-hit team effort with three hits each in the second game. Gail Wisher, Victoria Irby, Brianna Byrd and Rachel Rommel all added two hits apiece for the Lions.

Head coach Mackenzie Byrd's EMCC Lions (9-15, 5-7 MACCC) return home to play host to nationally third-ranked Jones College in a Friday (March 28) doubleheader that has been moved up a day due to this weekend's forecasted rainy weather. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the EMCC Softball Field on the Scooba campus.