The Selma Times-Journal

To orchestrate a comeback in baseball, three things are needed; pitching, defense, and timely hitting.

The Wallace Community College-Selma Patriots got all three to beat the Lawson State Community College Cougars 8-7.

Rick Carmack came on to pitch for Wallace in the seventh inning with two outs.

After a wild pitch, he went on to strike out the batter to end the inning.

He shut Lawson State down in the eighth and ninth innings allowing no runs, no hits, gave up two bases on balls and struck out the last batter he faced in the ninth.

Down 7 – 3 going into the bottom of the 7th, WCCS put together three hits, a double off the bat of Corey Holifield sandwiched between singles from Spain and Carmack and a walk to close the deficit to three runs, though they left three runners stranded.

The Patriots put their first three batters on base in the eighth with a single from Mason Donahoo followed by Rusty Quick getting hit by a pitch, then a single by Spain.

The next batter, Garrett Gray, walked to force in run No. 5.

With one out, Holifield singled to left driving in a run but Spain got thrown out at the plate trying to score from second.

The inning ended with Wallace down by one.

Carmack led off the ninth with a walk.

Donahoo reached base on an error with one out. Spain stepped to the plate with two outs and runners on first and second and slapped

an 0 – 1 pitch down the first base line off the glove of Lawson’s first baseman to score Carmack from second to tie the game.

On the same play the right fielder bobbled the ball and Coach Lawrence Gullette waved Donahoo home, diving safely across the dish

for the win.

Lawson State scored two runs in the first and one

in the second before WCCS got on the board with two in their half of the second.

An RBI double off the stick of Justin Palmer and an RBI single from Quick keyed the three hit inning.

The Patriots scored their third run of the game on a two-out bases loaded infield single by Spain.

The Cougars went on to add two more runs in the fourth and a run each in the sixth and seventh before WCCS staged their comeback.

Spain led the way for Wallace-Selma with four hits and two RBIs.

Gray, Holifield and Jared Fuller each added two hits.

The Pats had unfinished business before today’s game, beating

the Cougars 10-9 in an extra inning game that was

continued from Tuesday evening’s incomplete game in Birmingham.

The wins halted a 9-game losing streak.