Wolves Split with Second Ranked Wildcats

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team resumed MACCC play by hosting Pearl River on Tuesday, March 31. The Wolves and No. 2 Wildcats split on the day as the Wolves used an explosive comeback to win game one, 12-6, while the Wildcats took game two, 14-1.

GAME ONE

The Wildcats got on the board first as they hit a solo and three-run home run in the top of the first to take a 4-0 lead over the Wolves.

The Wolves then exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the third as Bryson Jones (Brandon) hit a one-out double to get the offense going. Donovan Moore (Roxie) was then hit-by-pitch while Trey Davidson (Brandon) singled to load the bases for the Wolves. Bradley Hanlon (Monroe, LA) then hit a two-RBI single scoring Jones and Moore to cut the lead down to 4-2. John Mark Grissom (Pearl) then crushed a 0-1 pitch over the fence in left field for a three-run home run to take the lead at 5-4. One pitch later, Caleb Brooks (Brandon) hammered a solo home run, his third of the season, and increased the lead to 6-4. Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) and Brady White (Ethel) then drew back-to-back walks to put two runners on with one out. Later in the inning, Jones hit a two-RBI double scoring Griffin and White while Moore clobbered a 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run pushing the lead to 10-4.

The Wolves added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Hanlon hit a leadoff single to get the offense started. Later in the inning, Griffin drew a walk while White was hit-by-pitch to load the bases with two outs. After Hanlon scored on a balk, Evan Holifield (Stringer) hit an RBI-single scoring Griffin and increasing the lead to 12-4.

The Wildcats then hit a solo home run in the fifth and took advantage of an error by the Wolves in the sixth to score a run and cut the lead down to 12-6. The Wolves then held the Wildcats to just one baserunner over the final three innings via a ninth inning hit-by-pitch to secure the 12-6 victory.

The Wolves totaled 14 hits as Bryson Jones led the way with four while John Mark Grissom had three and Bradley Hanlon had two with Donovan Moore, Trey Davidson, Caleb Brooks, Avery Griffin, and Evan Holifield had one hit each. Grissom led the Wolves in RBIs with three while Jones, Moore, and Hanlon had two RBIs apiece with Brooks and Holifield adding one RBI each.

Cameron Patterson (Central, LA) got the start and improved to 4-1 while pitching six innings and allowing six runs, five earned, on five hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Parker Ishee (Ridgeland) pitched two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts while Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) of scoreless relief with one strikeout.

GAME TWO

The Wildcats took the lead early again, this time with one run in the top of the first making the score, 1-0. The Wolves tied the game with one run in the bottom half as Bryson Jones and Donovan Moore hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. Moore was then forced out as Trey Davidson reached on a fielder's choice while Jones then scored on an RBI-groundout by Bradley Hanlon tying the game at 1-1.

The Wildcats then added four in the second, three in the third, and one in the fifth while limiting the Wolves to just two baserunners in those innings via a third inning walk and a hit-by-pitch in the fourth to push the lead to 9-1. The Wildcats then added one run in the sixth while the Wolves got a pair of runners on with two outs, but a line out brought the inning to a close with the score sitting at 10-1.

The Wildcats then added four in the top of the seventh to make the score, 14-1. The Wolves then loaded the bases in the bottom half with one out, but a strikeout followed by a flyout ended the game sealing the win for the Wildcats and split of the day.

The Wolves totaled four hits as Bryson Jones led the way with two while Donovan Moore and Bryan Travis (Gulfport) had one hit each.

Wes White (Flowood) got the start and took the loss (5-3) while pitching 2.1 innings and allowing seven runs, six earned on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Lucian Walker (Starkville) pitched 0.1 innings allowing one earned run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout while Caleb Flynn (Laurel) pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless and hitless relief with one strikeout. Ty Blakeney (Taylorsville) and MT Breland (Columbia) pitched one inning of relief each with both allowing one earned run while Blakeney allowed one hit with two walks and one strikeout while Breland was hitless in his appearance with one walk and one strikeout. Brayden Cooley (Flora) made a relief appearance allowing four runs, all earned, on three hits while Akavion Griffith (Magee) pitched one inning of relief with two hits and one strikeout.

Co-Lin is now 21-14 overall, 6-6 in MACCC play, and will return to action hosting East Mississippi on Friday, April 3. First pitch between the Lions and the Wolves is set for 2 p.m., at Sullivan Field in Wesson.