Meridian defeats Co-Lin 8-6

MERIDIAN– The Meridian Eagles defeated the Co-Lin Wolves 8-6 in game one of the NJCAA Region 23 best-of-three playoff series. Game two is slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. If Co-Lin wins game two, they force a game three at 7 p.m.

The Wolves started off strong in the top of the first inning. Will-Lawson Harkins (Carthage/Leake Academy) hit a leadoff single to left. Peyton Parker (West Monroe, LA/West Ouachita High School) drilled a home run to left field to give Co-Lin a 2-0 lead.

Meridian tied the game at two-all on a J Mitchell two-run home run.

The Eagles scored three more runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 5-3 lead.

Tom Biggs (Columbia, LA/West Monroe High School) led off the top of the fourth inning with a single. Marquez Hudson (Monticello/Lawrence County High School) reached on an error by the third baseman. Kenner Bizot's RBI single to right scored Biggs. Hudson scored on Ben White's (Natchez/Cathedral High School) ground out to cut the Meridian lead to 5-4.

Meridian answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning courtesy of a hit batsman and a wild pitch.

In the top of the seventh inning with one out, Hunter Estes (Purvis/Lamar Christian) singled. Cade Lowery (Wesson/Wesson High School drew a walk. Noah Freeman (Mendenhall/Simpson Academy) drilled a double to left field that scored Estes and Lowery to cut the Meridian lead to 7-6.

The Eagles got an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh on a Caleb Dyess RBI single to center.

Alex Sparks picked up the win for Meridian. He gave up six runs (four earned), eight hits, struck out six and walked two.

Jacob Spinks took the loss for Co-Lin. He allowed seven earned runs, seven hits, struck out one and walked one in three innings of work. Tanner Watts (Brookhaven/Brookhaven Academy) relieved Spinks in the fourth inning. Watts allowed one run (no earned), one hit, four strikeouts and one walk in 3.2 innings. Tucker Jones (Pearl/Pearl High School) finished the game giving up two hit, striking out two in 1.1 innings.

Leading the Wolves at the plate were Biggs and Harkins who had two hits apiece.  Parker had a home run and two RBIs. Freeman had a double and two RBIs.  Bizot and Estes had a single apiece.

At the plate for Meridian, Bridley Thomas, Braden Luke (two RBIs), John Mitchell (three RBIs) and Ke'Shun Collier had multiple hits. Butler and Caleb Dyess (two RBIs) had a hit apiece.