Wolves Sweep Weekend Series Against Cougars

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team returned to the friendly confines of Sullivan Field this weekend for a four-game series against St. Charles Community College. The Wolves swept the series taking game one on Friday, 8-6, two games on Saturday, 4-2 and 7-2, and then securing the sweep with a walk-off win on Sunday, 5-4.

GAME ONE

The first game of the weekend series got off to a rough start for the Wolves as they Cougars scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take and early 3-0 lead. The Wolves responded with one run in the bottom half of the inning as Trey Davidson (Brandon) and Lucas Harrington (Youngsville, LA) were 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 Dylan Wesson (Brandon) but a groundout followed by a fly out brought the rally to an end with the score sitting at 3-1.

The Cougars then extended the lead with a two-run home run in the top of the second making the score, 5-1. The Wolves then cut into the lead with a solo run in the bottom of the third as Davidson drew a walk with one out to get the offense going. Harrington and Wesson then hit back-to-back singles to load the bases while Davidson then scored as Evan Holifield (Stringer) was hit-by-pitch making the score, 5-2, as the rally came to an end after an inning-ending double play by the Cougars.

The Wolves then added another single run in the bottom of the fourth as Caleb Brooks (Brandon) hit a leadoff single, advanced to third on a two-base error, and then scored on an RBI single by Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) making the score, 5-3. The Cougars added one run in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 6-3.

The Wolves then added two runs in the bottom half of the fifth as Harrington drew a leadoff walk to start the inning but was forced out as Wesson reached on a fielder's choice, who then stole second later in the inning. Wesson then advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on an RBI double by Sam Cook (Shubuta) who then scored on an RBI single by Brooks making the score, 6-5.

The Wolves then tied the game as Reise Thomas (Florence) took one swing of the bat and smashed a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for a solo home run to tie the game at 6-6. The Wolves then took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth as Gavin Bledsoe (Brandon) hit a one-out triple to get the offense going. Bledsoe then scored as Davidson reached safely on a fielder's choice giving the Wolves a 7-6 lead. Later in the inning, Davidson scored as Wesson reached on an error increasing the lead to 8-6. The Cougars then got a one-out walk in the top of the ninth but a strikeout followed by a fly out ended the game and secured the win for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled 11 hits as Dylan Wesson, Caleb Brooks, and Avery Griffin had two hits apiece while Gavin Bledsoe, Lucas Harrington, Evan Holifield, Sam Cook, and Reise Thomas had one hit each. Trey Davidson, Wesson, Holifield, Cook, Brooks, Griffin, and Thomas had one RBI each.

Judson Griffin (Brookhaven) got the start for the Wolves and earned a no-decision while pitching one inning and allowing three runs, all earned, on one hit with five walks and two strikeouts. Tanner Blackwell (Flora) pitched 3.2 innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits with one walk and one strikeout while Caleb Flynn (Laurel) pitched one inning of scoreless and hitless relief with one walk and two strikeouts. Carter Leggett (Laurel) picked up the win in relief (1-0) with 3.1 innings pitched allowing one hit with one walk and six strikeouts.

GAME TWO

The second game of the series, first of the doubleheader on Saturday, saw the Cougars plate two runs in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead over the Wolves. However, the Wolves responded with two runs in the bottom half as Bledsoe reached on a dropped third strike while Davidson followed with a single to start the inning. Later in the inning, Davidson was forced out as Wesson reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two outs. Holifield then drew a walk to load the bases. Bledsoe then scored on a passed ball while Wesson then scored on an infield RBI-single by Brooks to tie the game at 2-2.

The Wolves then took the lead as Harrington stepped up and hit a no-doubter down the left field line for a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the third making the score, 3-2. The Wolves added their final run in the bottom of the fifth as Wesson and Holifield hit back-to-back singles to put two runners on with two outs. A third straight single by Brooks scored Wesson and increased the Wolves lead to 4-2.

The Wolves allowed just two baserunners in the final two innings for the Cougars while four of the final six outs of the game came via a strikeout to secure the first win in the doubleheader.

The Wolves totaled ten hits in the game as Davidson, Holifield, Brooks, and Thomas had two hits apiece while Harrington and Wesson had one hit each. Brooks led the Wolves in RBIs with two while Harrington had one.

Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) got the start and picked up his first collegiate win while pitching six innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) picked up his second save of the season with one inning of relief allowing one hit with two strikeouts.

GAME THREE

The third game in the series, second of the doubleheader, got off to a much different start as it was scoreless after the first inning and a half of play. However, the Wolves broke through in a big way plating five run in the bottom of the second as Brooks and Cook hit back-to-back singles to get the offense going while Avery Griffin was hit-by-pitch to load the bases with no outs. Brooks and Cook then scored on a two-RBI single by Thomas giving the Wolves a 2-0 lead. The Wolves then pulled the double steal as Thomas stole second while Griffin swiped home and an error on the play allowed Thomas to advance to third. Thomas then scored on a sacrifice fly by Bledsoe making the score, 4-0, while Davidson followed with a one-out single. Later in the inning, Davidson scored on a two-out, RBI triple by Wesson increasing the lead to 5-0.

The Cougars cut into the lead with their pair of runs in the top of the fourth making the score, 5-2. However, the Wolves responded by matching with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning as Davidson hit a single while Harrington drew a walk to put two runners on with one out. Later in the inning, Holifield delivered a two-out, two-RBI double scoring Davidson and Harrington while pushing the Wolves lead back to five at 7-2.

The Wolves then retired seven straight Cougars batters from the fifth through seventh innings while the Cougars responded with back-to-back singles in the top of the seventh to put two runners on with one out. The Wolves then ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts to secure a sweep of the Saturday doubleheader with a 7-2 victory.

The Wolves totaled 11 hits as a team with Davidson leading the way with three hits while Brooks had two hits. Bledsoe, Wesson, Holifield, Cook, Griffin, and Thomas had one hit each. Holifield and Thomas led the Wolves with two RBIs apiece while Bledsoe and Wesson had one RBI each.

Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) got the start and picked up his second win of the season (2-0) while pitching six innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts while Brayden Cooley (Flora) pitched 0.1 innings of relief allowing one hit with one strikeout and Jacob Buffalo (Foxworth) pitched 0.2 innings of relief allowing one hit with two strikeouts.

GAME FOUR

The final game of the weekend once again saw the Wolves take a lead with a solo run in the bottom of the second as Holifield and Brooks hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. Later in the inning, both runners advanced on a double steal while Holifield then scored on a sacrifice fly by Cook to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars then tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the fourth making the score, 1-1. The Cougars then took the lead with a solo run in the top of the fifth making the score, 2-1. However, the Wolves responded by matching with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning as Wesson, Cook, and Griffin hit three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Wesson then scored on an RBI groundout by Thomas making the score, 2-2.

The Wolves then took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth as Davidson hit a leadoff double to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Davidson scored on an RBI single by Brooks. Brooks then stole second and scored on an RBI double by Wesson to give the Wolves a 4-2 lead.

The Cougars then took advantage of errors by the Wolves in the eighth and ninth innings to score one run in each inning and tie the game at 4-4 setting the stage for the Wolves walk-off attempt in the bottom half. Griffin led off the bottom of the inning with a triple while Thomas and Bledsoe were intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. Donovan Moore (Bude) then reached base on a fielder's choice as Griffin was forced out at home, Davidson then stepped in and delivered a walk-off RBI single scoring Thomas sealing the 5-4 victory and four game sweep for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled 12 hits as a team with Davidson, Brooks, Wesson, and Griffin had two hits apiece while Moore, Holifield, Cook, and Thomas had one hit each. Davidson, Brooks, Wesson, Cook, and Thomas had one RBI each for the Wolves.

Cameron Patterson (Central, LA) got the start for the Wolves and earned a no-decision while pitching 4.1 innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Buffalo pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless and hitless relief with one walk and two strikeouts while Wes White (Flowood) pitched 2.2 innings and allowing two unearned runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Sturdivant got the win (2-0) while pitching 0.1 innings and needing just four pitches to retire the only batter he faced.

Co-Lin is now 8-1 overall and will return to action on the road against Southwest Mississippi on Wednesday, February 12. First pitch between the Wolves and the Bears is set for 3 p.m., in Summit.