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Wallace College Govs one win away from state baseball title

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DOTHAN, Ala. – One win. That’s all that stands between the Wallace Govs and an ACCC baseball championship.

The Govs earned their trip to the title game by soundly defeating the Shelton State Buccaneers late Sunday night at Eagle Stadium in Ozark.

The Govs didn’t just open the door when the opportunity presented itself, they kicked the door down with a solid 12-0 victory over a very good Shelton State team.

“My freshman pitcher was just outstanding,” Wallace coach Mackey Sasser said. “He showed the world what he was made of. The moment wasn’t too big for him. Every time he got into trouble, he pitched his way out of it.”

That freshman pitcher was Dakota Copeland. All he did was pitch seven complete innings, struck out seven and gave up only three hits. This was to a team that entered the tournament with a team batting average over .320.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t really have my best stuff,” Copeland said. “But I had confidence in my pitching.

“I just kept pounding the strike zone. I relied mostly on my fastball, but my curveball helped to keep them off balance.”

Pre-tournament, Shelton’s pitching staff was among the top five in the state. But on Sunday night it didn’t matter which pitcher the Buccaneers threw at the Govs. Wallace had 14 hits and managed five walks.

Another freshman that made a big impact for the Govs was Zane Faulk. Not just in this game, but all season long. Over the weekend, Faulk was named Conference Player of the Year.

“Most of all I feel blessed,” Faulk said. “It took a lot of hard work, dedication and determination.

“I play every game hard and get after it. I expected to do well because I believe in myself. But I didn’t see this coming.”

Faulk’s season-long stats read like something from a video game. His regular season batting average was .439. He had 76 hits, nine home runs, 18 doubles, 63 RBIs, and an on base percentage of .495.

“I have some really good teammates and some good coaches,” Faulk said. They are always helping me out and pulling for me.”

While the Govs have achieved a lot, as Sasser put it, “We’ve haven’t accomplished anything.”

“After the game a lot of guys were celebrating. They were even doing back flips. It’s good to see that enthusiasm, but we’ve still got to finish.

“Our path got a little easier with this win, but there are still other good teams left in the tournament.”

Chattahoochee Valley eliminated Southern Union on Monday with a 20-3 victory and was scheduled to play Shelton State in an elimination game later in the day for a chance to meet Wallace for the title.

Whoever emerges from that pack would still need to defeat the Govs twice since Wallace is the lone unbeaten team in the double-elimination tournament.

The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday at Eagle Stadium with the “if necessary” game to follow if needed.

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