WESSON -When the Co-Lin Lady Wolves needed the key hits inSaturday’s championship game, they made them just as they have doneduring the 2-day MACJC State Softball Tournament.

Trailing the Gulf Coast Lady Bulldogs 5-1 in the bottom of thefifth inning, the Lady Wolves reached deep to score 7 runs for an8-1 lead and captured their second straight state championshipbefore a huge crowd of supporters on a hot, windy, dustyevening.

Co-Lin (32-10-0) plays in the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament thisweek in Clinton. The date, time and opponent will be announced.Gulf Coast, coached by Kenneth Long, finished runner-up in thestate tourney and is 23-10 on the season.

Gulf Coast eliminated Northwest 9-5 in an earlier gameSaturday.

“We showed a lot of heart,” said Co-Lin head softball coachAllen Kent after the win. “You can never count us out. We keptplugging hard. It was a big win for us.”

Co-Lin took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Terri Hodgesdoubled. With 1 out, Daniele Wilson doubled in Hodges.

Gulf Coast scored 2 runs in the top of the third for a 2-1 leadand 3 more in the third to push its lead to 5-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Wolves exploded for 7 runsto take an 8-5 lead. Wilson, Monea Cameron and Holli Smith singled.Cameron was forced out at third. Missy Paulina walked. RebeccaRousseau doubled. Jones singled. Hodges singled. Candace Avantswalked. Wilson followed with a double.

In the final 2 innings, Rousseau struck out 2 batters as theCo-Lin defense fielded 2 fly balls and 2 ground outs to end thegame.

Rousseau, a 5-foot-5 right-hander from Greenwood, La., finishedwith 5 strikeouts, no walks and 9 hits allowed. She improved herrecord to 19-3 on the season, throwing 193 pitches in today’s twogames and 67 on Friday.

“It feels great winning back-to-back state titles my sophomoreyear,” smiled Rousseau who worked all 3 games in the tournament.”Our team did an excellent job on defense. I felt like I came outstrong.”

Rousseau has been the workhorse for the team according toKent.

At the plate, Rousseau led the Lady Wolves with 2 doubles and 2single. Wilson doubled twice. Terri Hodges doubled and singled.Paulina had a pair of hits. Ashley Jones and Cameron singled.

Hodges, a 5-3 native of Brookhaven, was thrilled to have won herfirst state title. “It’s great. “It’s an incredible feeling. We didwhat we had to do. Words can’t explain how happy I am now.”

The losing hurler was Brandie Westfield who went the distancewith 6 walks and 10 hits allowed.

Megan Golvin and Holly Lawrence led the Lady Bulldogs with apair of singles. Julia Mercer, Lindsey Keyes, Kayla Moran andTiffany Fuller singled.

“It was a lot of work hosting the tournament,” added Kent. “Butthe girls stayed focused.”