Softball Trades Run-Rule Wins with Division II #11 Itawamba
Decatur, AL — Calhoun softball battled nationally-ranked NJCAA Division II No. 11 Itawamba in a Saturday doubleheader at home, earning a split as the two teams traded run-rule victories. Calhoun dropped game one, 16-1, before responding with an 11-3 win in five innings in game two. The Tribe had previously defeated the Warhawks 4-1 at a neutral site earlier this month.
Game 1 – Itawamba 16, Calhoun 1
Emellie Hamilton got the start in the circle for Calhoun, facing an Itawamba lineup that wasted no time getting started. The Tribe erupted for eight runs in the opening inning and maintained control throughout the contest.
The Warhawks manufactured their lone run in the bottom of the second, stringing together four consecutive singles to push a run across the plate. Morgan Lane finished 1-for-1 with an RBI, while Madison Allen and Addison Wallace also each recorded a hit in the loss.
Itawamba continued to add on in the middle innings, securing the 16-1 run-rule victory after five innings of play.
Game 2 – Calhoun 11, Itawamba 3
Game two featured a different tone, as freshman ace Addi Wilson delivered another dominant performance in the circle. Wilson threw 83 pitches across five innings, allowing just five hits and three earned runs while striking out eight of the 22 batters she faced.
Calhoun struck first in the bottom of the second when Tessa Jacobs launched a solo home run to left field. After Itawamba answered with a leadoff homer in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1, the Warhawks responded with a four-hit third inning to regain control at 3-1.
The offense continued to apply pressure in the fourth, capitalizing on a mix of timely hitting and defensive miscues to plate four runs and extend the lead to 7-1.
The Tribe refused to fade, cutting the margin to 7-3 with a two-run homer in the fifth. But Calhoun seized the moment in the bottom half of the inning, exploding for four more runs to secure the run-rule victory and earn the split.
Madison Allen led the charge with a perfect 3-for-3 performance and two RBI. Tabitha Frazier went 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Emily Burgreen finished 2-for-3 with two RBI. Kenley Holcombe added a 1-for-1 effort, scoring three runs and driving in one.
Head Coach Denton Bowling praised his team's resilience against another nationally respected opponent. "I'm really proud of how this group responds when we face teams that have had success against us before," Bowling said. "Itawamba is a top-tier program, and after a tough first game, our girls could've hung their heads, but they didn't. They came out in game two with energy, confidence, and a lot of fight. Addi set the tone in the circle, and our lineup backed her up with quality at-bats. That's a gritty win against a nationally ranked opponent, and it says a lot about the growth of this team and program."
In addition to Saturday's split, Calhoun also picked up another win this weekend as a previous loss to Chattanooga State was ruled a forfeit due to the use of an ineligible player.
The Warhawks now sit at 14-9 on the season and will travel to Northwest Mississippi Rangers on Wednesday, March 4, for a doubleheader.