Wolves Split Against Bulldogs

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team returned to Sullivan Field for their MACCC home opener hosting Holmes on Friday, March 14. The Wolves split with the No. 24 Bulldogs as a late rally came up short in an 11-9 win for the Bulldogs while the Wolves rebounded for a shutout victory in game two, 3-0.

GAME ONE

The game was scoreless through the first two innings, but the Bulldogs broke through with a single run in the top of the third to take an early 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs then took advantage of back-to-back errors by the Wolves in the top of the fourth that led to five runs and extended the lead to 6-0. The Bulldogs then added three runs in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run and a single run in the sixth to push their lead to 10-0.

The Wolves then scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead in half as Reise Thomas (Florence), Tucker Jones (Brandon), and Lucas Harrington (Youngsville, LA) drew three straight walks to start the inning and load the bases. Thomas then scored on an RBI single by Trey Davidson (Brandon) while Jones then scored on an RBI groundout by Caleb Brooks (Brandon) to make the score, 10-2. Evan Holifield (Stringer) then hit a two-RBI triple scoring Harrington and Davidson while Holifield then scored on an RBI-single by Sam Cook (Shubuta) making the score, 10-5.

The Bulldogs then hit a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to 11-5. The Wolves responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning as Jones hit a leadoff single and then scored on two separate errors on a pickoff play making the score, 11-6. Later in the inning, Davidson and Brooks were then hit-by-pitch in back-to-back at-bats to put two runners on with one out. Davidson then scored on an RBI-single by Holifield while an error on the play allowed Brooks to score and Holifield advanced to third on the play. Holifield then scored on an RBI groundout by Cook making the score, 11-9.

The Wolves were then retired in order in the eighth and got the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth after Brooks was hit-by-pitch. However, a fielder's choice followed by a pop out ended the inning and secured the 11-9 win for the Bulldogs.

The Wolves totaled eight hits as Trey Davidson and Evan Holifield had two hits apiece while Tucker Jones, Sam Cook, Dylan Wesson (Brandon), and Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) had one hit each. Holifield led the Wolves in RBIs with three, while Cook had two RBIs, with Davidson and Brooks adding one RBI each.

Cameron Patterson (Central) got the start and took the loss (0-2) while pitching 3.2 innings and allowing four runs, one earned, on three hits with five walks and three strikeouts while Carter Leggett (Laurel) pitched 1.1 innings of relief allowing six runs, four earned, on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Tanner Blackwell (Flora), Darrin Robbins (Sumrall), Jacob Buffalo (Foxworth), and Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) pitched one inning of relief each. Blackwell, Buffalo, and Sturdivant pitched scoreless innings while Robbins allowed one earned run on three hits with one strikeout. Blackwell had two walks with one strikeout, Buffalo allowed one hit with one walk and three strikeouts while Sturdivant struck out the three batters he faced.

GAME TWO

The second game of the day saw the game stay scoreless through the first inning of play as the Wolves scored their first run in the bottom of the second. Dylan Wesson hit a leadoff single to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Wesson stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a two-out, RBI-single by Bradley Hanlon (Monroe, LA) to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs looked to respond in the top of the third as they loaded the bases with one out, but the Wolves then got a strikeout followed by a fielder's choice to end the scoring threat and maintain the lead. The Wolves then looked to add on to the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Wesson, Caleb Brooks, and Evan Holifield drew three straight walks to load the bases with one out. However, a double play brought the inning to an end and kept the score at 1-0.

The Wolves added two runs in the bottom of the sixth as Brooks drew a walk with one out to get the offense going. Holifield then stepped up to the plate, took one swing of the bat, and crushed the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for a two-run home run to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Bulldogs then got back-to-back walks with two outs, but a strikeout sealed the 3-0 shutout victory and split for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled five hits as Tucker Jones, Dylan Wesson, Evan Holifield, Bradley Hanlon, and Brady White (Ethel) had one hit each. Holifield led the Wolves in RBIs with two while Hanlon had one RBI.

Jaxon Rayborn (Laurel) got the start and earned a no-decision while pitching 2.1 innings allowing two hits with five walks and two strikeouts. Dee Morgan (Tallulah, LA) got his first win of the season (1-0) while pitching 2.2 innings of hitless relief with five strikeouts while Lucas Harrington pitched two innings of hitless relief with three walks and three strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 18-11 overall, 2-2 in MACCC play, and will return to action hosting Southwest as part of the Coca-Cola Classic on Tuesday, March 18. First pitch between the Bears and the Wolves is set for 3 p.m., at Sullivan Field.