Published: May 07, 2008 11:35 pm            

Lady Lions take title, Clem notches 400th career victory

Kerr grabs three hits, WSCC moves on to nationals

ALABASTER — The Wallace State softball team won its second consecutive ACCC tournament title Wednesday with a 4-1 win over Wallace-Dothan in Alabaster.

It was the first back-to-back state championships for the Lady Lions, and their fourth time to hoist the trophy. The Lady Lions have earned a fourth trip to the NJCAA Division I national tournament, which will be held in Plant City, Fla. beginning next Thursday.

Coach Jayne Clem was named ACCC All-Region Coach of the Year for the seventh time in nine years. She also earned ACCC Northern Division Coach of the Year honors.

“It’s been a great season in which we have already broken all kinds of records,” said Clem. “We just accomplished our next-to-last goal of the year.”

The one remaining goal, she said, is to win a national championship.

Wallace (64-8) advanced undefeated through the four-day double elimination tournament, defeating Faulkner State 2-0, Jeff State 4-0, and Central Alabama 3-1 in earlier rounds.

“It’s been an awesome tournament,” Clem said. “We came out doing what we were supposed to do and followed our game plan. Today, our hitting came around, especially in the fourth and fifth innings.”

Holli Hill tossed a complete game with 11 strikeouts in the win. She gave up one run on two hits and walked none.

Lacy Kerr went 3-for-4 with a double to lead the offense, and Hannah Strength went 1-for-4 and scored two runs. Rachel Baucom added a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the third.

Dandi Ammons scored another in the fifth on a single by Sallie Beth Burch.

Clem also surpassed the 400 win mark during the season.

The Lady Lions will leave for the NJCAA Division I Softball Tournament in Plant City, Fla. Monday. Their previous trips came in 2003, 2005 and 2007, finishing seventh last season.

        

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