Wolves Sweep Bears

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team resumed MACCC play by hosting Southwest on Tuesday, March 18. The Wolves swept the Bears taking game one, 6-3, and then game two, 2-1.

GAME ONE

The Bears scored first in the first game of the day as they plated one run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead over the Wolves. The score stood at 1-0 until the Wolves took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third.

Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) led off the inning by reaching base on an error. Reise Thomas (Florence) followed by reaching on the second straight error of the inning while Griffin scored from first on the play and Thomas advanced to third tying the game at 1-1. Tucker Jones (Brandon) then followed by drawing a walk to put runners on the corners with no outs. Later in the inning, the Wolves pulled a double steal as Jones stole second while Thomas swiped home to take the lead, 2-1.

The Bears then tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the fourth making the score, 2-2. The game remained tied until the Wolves retook the lead with a single run in the bottom of the fifth as Thomas hit a leadoff single to get the offense going. Thomas then advanced to third on a two-base error on a pickoff play and scored on an RBI-single by Jones to give the Wolves a 3-2 lead.

The Wolves then added a solo run in the bottom of the sixth as Griffin got the offense going by reaching base on an error with two outs and then advanced to second on a single by Thomas. Griffin then scored on an RBI-single by Jones to increase the lead to 4-2. Trey Davidson (Brandon) then drew a walk to load the bases, but a fly out brought the inning to an end with the bases loaded.

The final two runs for the Wolves came in the bottom of the seventh as Evan Holifield hit a one-out single to get the offense started. Bradley Hanlon (Monroe, LA) then stepped up, took one swing of the bat, and crushed a 1-1 pitch over the center field fence for a two-run home run, his first of the season, to extend the lead to 6-2. The Bears then hit a leadoff solo home run in the top of the ninth to cut the score down to 6-3 and followed with a single. However, a double play followed by a strikeout secured the 6-3 victory for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled eight hits in the game as Reise Thomas and Tucker Jones had two hits apiece while Trey Davidson, Evan Holifield, Bradley Hanlon, and Brady White had one hit each. Jones and Hanlon had two RBIs each to lead the Wolves.

Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) got the start and improved to 4-2 with the win while pitching seven innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) pitched two innings of relief allowing one earned run on two hits with one strikeout.

GAME TWO

The second game of the day was a pitcher's duel between the teams as it was scoreless until the Wolves scored their two runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead.

Reise Thomas led off the inning drawing a walk, but was forced out as Tucker Jones reached on a fielder's choice. Trey Davidson then stepped up, took one swing, and smashed a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run, his third of the season, to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead. The Bears offense then struck in the top of the fifth as they got a one-out walk followed by back-to-back singles to push one run across and had the tying run at third. However, a pop out followed by a strikeout left the runner stranded and maintained a 2-1 lead for the Wolves.

The Wolves then looked to increase their lead in the bottom of the sixth as Holifield hit a two-out single and Caleb Brooks (Brandon) was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on. However, a lineout brought the inning to end with the score standing at 2-1. The Bears were then retired in order in the top of the seventh to secure the game two win and sweep for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled three hits in the game as Trey Davidson, Evan Holifield, and Caleb Brooks had one hit each while Davidson had two RBIs.

Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) pitched his second complete game of the season and improved to 7-1 with the win while allowing one earned run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 20-11 overall, 4-2 in MACCC play, and will hit the road to face off against Northwest on Saturday, March 22. First pitch between the Wolves and the Rangers is set for 2 p.m., at Jim Miles Field in Senatobia.