Mustangs open conference play with wins over Calhoun

The Northeast Alabama Community College softball team is off to a winning start to conference play.

The No. 4 nationally-ranked Mustangs run-ruled visiting Calhoun 12-0 in the opening game of the teams' Alabama Community College Conference doubleheader before using some late-inning heroics to complete the sweep Thursday at NACC's Nathaniel Ledbetter Stadium.

The wins improved the Mustangs to 21-1 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.

NACC dominated the opener, scoring four runs in the second inning, six runs in the third and two in the fourth during a five-inning mercy-rule shortened win. NACC also totaled 14 hits with eight different Mustangs recording at least one each.

Sophomore Kiley Weston finished 3-for-3 with a double, two singles, a walk and four RBIs and sophomore Emma Hindmon was 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI for NACC while and sophomore Emmorie Burke was 2-for-3 with an RBI and freshman Lorelai Sullivan was 2-for-2 with an RBI and three runs scored. NACC also got an RBI triple, an RBI sacrifice fly and a walk from sophomore Chloe Hatch along with one hit and one RBI each from freshman Marti McCluskey, sophomore Francesca Lumpp and freshman Austin McNeece. McCluskey and freshman Morgan Perkins both drew a walk.

Addie Edwards delivered another strong outing in the pitching circle for NACC, improving to 11-0 after tossing a five-inning shutout. The freshman right-hander, who has not surrendered a run in eight of her 11 starts, allowed only three hits and two walks Thursday while recording five strikeouts.

The Mustangs won the second game in a little more dramatic fashion.

NACC took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Calhoun pulled within 3-2 in the third inning and tied it 3-all in the fourth. The Mustangs however used a three-run sixth inning to regain the lead and complete the sweep.

Burke finished 4-for-4 for NACC while Weston added two more hits and two more RBIs in Game 2, finishing the doubleheader with a combined five hits and six total RBIs. Hatch finished 2-for-3 for the Mustangs while McCluskey hit a two-run home run, her team-leading seventh of the season. Lumpp contributed one hit and one RBI while Sullivan, Hindmon and Olivia Acuff had one hit each.

Sophomore pitcher Kayleigh Warnock pitched the final 4 1/3 innings in relief to get the win and improve to 3-0 in the circle. She allowed just one run on four hits and no walks while posting five strikeouts. 

NACC concludes its area series with Calhoun Saturday when it travels to Decatur for a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m.