Strong Pitching, Record - Setting Hitting Lead Mustangs to Home Opening Doubleheader Sweep

The Northeast Alabama Community College softball team used two different methods to sweep its home-opening doubleheader at Nathaniel Ledbetter Stadium.

Another strong pitching performance from Addison Edwards along with timely hitting helped the Mustangs post an 8-0 five-inning, mercy-rule shortened opening-game victory against Marion Military Institute Saturday before NACC outslugged MMI for a 17-13 record-setting Game 2 victory.

After tossing a one-hit shutout at MMI two days earlier, Edwards again dominated the Tigers' lineup. The freshman limited MMI to only four hits while recording four strikeouts and issuing no walks over five innings pitched. Edwards has 17 strikeouts in 10 innings pitched thus far this season.

Meanwhile, NACC hitters totaled 10 hits, including three home runs — sophomore Chloe Hatch hit a lead-off home run for the Mustangs while freshman Marti McCluskey and sophomore Emmorie Burke hit two-run homers in the second and third innings respectively — and five extra-base hits in all.

McCluskey finished with three RBIs and sophomore Kiley Weston had two hits, including an RBI double, and a run scored for NACC while freshman Austin McNeece delivered an RBI single. The Mustangs also got two hits each from Burke and freshman Lorelai Sullivan and one hit each from Hatch and freshman Morgan Perkins. Sophomore Francesca Lummp walked, drove in a run and scored a run.

Game 2 was a record-setting one at the plate for the Mustangs.

NACC batters tallied a single-game school-record 25 hits, eclipsing the previous record of 23 set during a 17-16 win over Coastal Alabama-South last season. Meanwhile, the Mustangs' 17 runs scored tied for third-most in an NACC game.

NACC built a 10-2 lead following a seven-run second inning that included freshman Olivia Acuff's grand slam. After MMI used a five-run third inning and a six-run fourth to take a 13-11 lead, the Mustangs tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on Burke's RBI double and Lumpp's RBI single before taking a 16-13 advantage in the bottom of the fifth on sophomore Emma Hindmon's RBI single and Hatch's two-run double. The Mustangs added an insurance run in the sixth on Acuff's RBI single.

Hatch led the NACC hit parade, setting a new single-game NACC hits record during a 5-for-6, four-RBI performance. The Plainview alum also hit a lead-off home run for the second straight game. 

Acuff finished 4-for-4 with six RBIs — two RBIs shy of the single-game school record of eight set by former Mustang Peyton Hill last season — while freshman Breanna Wilson went 4-for-4 and scored three runs. Burke and Lumpp both finished with three hits and two RBIs, McNeece had three hits and one RBI and McCluskey and Hindmon had one hit and one RBI apiece while Sullivan had one hit.

Freshman Erin Harrelson got the win in the pitching circle for the Mustangs, tossing the final 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. She allowed only one hit and did not issue a walk while recording five strikeouts.

NACC (4-0) will take its undefeated record into a doubleheader Tuesday in Alexander City against the Central Alabama Community College Trojans. First pitch for Game 1 is 2 p.m.

The Mustangs then return home for the first Tournament at Nathaniel Ledbetter Field this Thursday.  The field will include Georiga Highlands and #3 McClennan CC out of Waco Texas. 

Scheudle for Mustang Invitational 

Thursday February 12th

• 1:00 p.m. v McClennan CC 
• 3:00 p.m. v McClennan CC 

Friday, February 13th 

• 1:00 p.m.  McClennan v Georiga Highlands 
• 3:00 p.m. NACC v Georgia Highlands  
• 5:00 p.m. NACC v McClennan 

Hope to see you all there!