NACC completes opening-conference series sweep

After a strong showing in the non-conference portion of its schedule, Northeast Alabama Community College softball head coach Joe Guthrie wanted his team to get off to a strong start to Alabama Community College Conference play.

Mission accomplished.

The No. 4 Mustangs notched their second doubleheader sweep of Calhoun in a three-day span to close out the teams' ACCC series Saturday in Decatur.

NACC won the opener 6-0 and fended off a Calhoun rally for a 10-8 Game 2 victory to improve to 4-0 in ACCC play and 23-1 overall.

"We had some very challenging games against a well-coached Calhoun team," Guthrie said. "We continue to find ways to overcome adversity. I desire for our team to continue to grow from those lessons."

The Mustangs struck early in Game 1, scoring one run in the first, three in the second and one in the third to build a 5-0 lead through three innings. NACC finished with 15 hits and four different Mustangs enjoyed a multi-hit game while five different batters drove in at least one run. 

Freshman Lorelai Sullivan led the Mustangs' hit parade, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Sophomores Chloe Hatch and Kiley Weston both went 2-for-4 with an RBI and sophomore Emmorie Burke went 2-for-4 for NACC, which also got a two-RBI double and a walk from freshman Marti McCluskey, an RBI single from sophomore Francesca Lumpp, a single and a walk from sophomore Emma Hindmon, singles from freshmen Savannah Cantrell and Austin McNeece and a walk from sophomore Sophia Murphey. Hatch scored two runs while Weston, Burke, Sullivan and sophomore Audra "Pearl" Bellomy each scored a run.

Freshman pitcher Addie Edwards earned her ACCC-leading 12th win in the circle after pitching a one-hit, complete-game shutout. The freshman right-hander and reigning ACCC Pitcher of the Week faced just one batter over the minimum and struck out 10 of the 22 batters she faced.

NACC built another big lead in Game 2, scoring three runs in the third, two in the fourth and three in the fifth to take an 8-0 advantage. But Calhoun struck for six runs during its half of the fifth, and after NACC scored two more runs in the sixth, the Warhawks pulled within 10-8 in the bottom of the seventh before a flyout ended the game.

Hindmon finished with three hits, a walk and a run scored and Sullivan contributed two doubles, a walk, two RBIs and a run for the Mustangs while Lumpp was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, McCluskey was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI and freshman Morgan Perkins had a two-run home run. NACC also got one hit, one walk, one RBI and one run scored from Weston, one hit and one run from Burke, one hit each from Hatch and freshman Olivia Acuff and a run from Bellomy.

Freshman Erin Harrelson picked up the win in the circle, improving to 5-1 after tossing four shutout innings and recording one strikeout. Edwards pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out three while notching her second save.

NACC starts another conference series Thursday against No. 24-ranked Gadsden State (24-1, 3-1).

"We face a tough challenge with another talented, well-coached team in Gadsden State this week," Guthrie said.

The teams play a doubleheader Thursday at NACC's Nathaniel Ledbetter Stadium — Game 1 begins at 3 p.m. — before concluding the series by playing a doubleheader the following Saturday at Gadsden State (3 p.m.).