Wallace State Cuts Ribbon on New Softball Field

Hanceville, Ala.  — Wallace State Community College cut the ribbon Saturday on the new softball field at Bobby McCraken Stadium/Pete Harris Softball Field before the Lions took on Gadsden State Community College in a double-header.

“It’s a great day to be a Lion,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “We are so proud of this softball team and the history of this softball program.”

“We wanted to make an investment in the future of softball through this field.”

Head Coach and Wallace State Softball alumnus Sally Beth Burch thanked Dr. Karolewics for the college’s support.

“Thank you all for being here today. I just want to give a huge thank you to Dr. Karolewics, Paul Bailey and all of our administration. I’ve been around this program since 2007 and it’s great to see where it’s come from 2007 to now and that’s a product of everything that you give to us.

“We just want to thank you so much for supporting us on and off the field – we love this field.”

The field is part of nearly $5 million in investments in athletic facilities at the college this year, including more than $2 million in baseball and softball.

Former Wallace State player Jennifer Sexton Turner, Most Valuable Player of the 2008 National Championship team, threw out the first pitch for Saturday’s game. Turner reminisced on her time as a Wallace State Lion and expressed her excitement about the upgrades since then.

After the ribbon-cutting, the No. 11-ranked Lions took on Gadsden State Community College in their first home game of the season. Wallace State Lady Lions beat Gadsden State in both games with final scores of 5-2 and 3-2.

 

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/live/0HCAFdFxsAo?si=In4ijn80S6u_ceQp

Flickr Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC4PJp

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.