GDW Analysis:
  HANCEVILLE: Wallace State softball is on the verge of claiming the regular season title in the Alabama Community College Conference.
The road has been a challenge for the Lady Lions as they were in 2nd place going into a series vs. Coastal South April 13 at home.
Now the Lady Lions have taken victory in six of their last eight conference games. Coastal has lost momentum in dropping three of four to the Lady Lions and first place along with it.
Wallace swept Northwest Shoals Saturday at Bobby McCracken Stadium 10 to 1 and 12 to 1.
The Lady Lions enter the final week of the regular season 15 & 5 in the ACCC and own tiebreakers against Coastal, Snead and NW Shoals. Coastal is 12 & 8 after splitting with Snead on Saturday. Snead is now finished with the conference schedule, 13 wins and 11 losses.
Wallace State has 28 wins vs. 12 losses in Lauren Stewart's first season leading the best softball program in the conference.
Northwest Shoals led 1 to 0 in the first game on a play that involved a former local standout, Bethany Minck of West Point.
Minck laid down a bunt that pitcher Katie Simon handled and threw to catcher Emily Hall for a force out at home. Hall then fired to first, hitting Minck in the back as she was in her baseline without being called for interference. A run scored and the visitors had the momentum until the Wallace State 4th.
Jessie Taylor drew a walk and would score on a double steal attempt. A throw to try and get Brandy Phillips at 2nd sailed into center with Taylor coming in to make it 1 to 1.
A sac fly by Tessa Word put Wallace ahead when Phillips scored from third.
Two runs in the 5th added to the lead and the game was put out of NW Shoals' reach with a 6 tun 6th inning to end the game by run rule (8 after 5).
Haley Hollyhand singled to left driving in a pair of runs. The clincher was a 3 run homer by Phillips to close it out at 3:57 p.m. The game was played in 2 hours, 2 minutes.
EC Wilson of NW Shoals, a former Cullman standout, pitched 4 good innings for the Lady Patriots before coach Angel Brown relieved her in the 5th.
Reliever Taylor Cameron got roughed by the Wallace State bats, allowing 8 runs on 5 hits. Wilson was credited with 4 innings, 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 strikeouts.
Wilson was back in the circle to start the 2nd game. This time Wallace was ready for the freshman with two run home runs from Bayleigh Rouse and Taylor putting them ahead after an inning 4 to 0.
Four more runs were in from the 2nd. Caroline Cartron, Jayden Foster and Rouse tallied run scoring hits.
Wallace went to the 3rd leading 8 to 0.
Not scoring in the 3rd, the Lady Lions used an RBI single from Taylor, an RBI single by Phillips and a 2 run triple off the bat of Word in moving the advantage to 12 to 0.
Lily Boswell started the 2nd game for Wallace, gave up a hit in the 3rd. Amelia Sherrill relieved her with one out in the 4th.
NW Shoals plated their only run in the game in the 5th after an error and a double into left field.
Word was called on by coach Stewart to finish the game as she did with a strikeout.
On the day, Wallace State pitching gave up 2 runs, both unearned, yielding 6 hits and striking out 13 batters.
  The Lady Lions have a 7 & 3 record at home in the conference. Calhoun comes to McCracken Stadium Thursday at 4:00 & 6:00 p.m.
Wallace will end the regular season next Saturday in Decatur vs. the Lady Warhawks.

GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.