Wolves Split Day with Bulldogs

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team returned home to host MACCC foe Gulf Coast on Tuesday, April 14. The Wolves and Bulldogs split the day as the Bulldogs won game one, 14-13, while the Wolves took game two, 7-5.

GAME ONE

The Bulldogs got on the board first with a solo home run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. However, the Wolves responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half as Bryson Jones (Brandon) hit a bunt single to lead off the inning and then advanced to second on the play. Later in the inning, Trey Davidson (Brandon) was hit by pitch to put two runners on with one out. After Matthew Combs (Hurley) was brought in as a pinch runner for Davidson, Bradley Hanlon reached base on a fielder's choice while all runners were safe loading the bases for the Wolves. John Mark Grissom (Pearl) then ripped a two-RBI double scoring Jones and Combs and giving the Wolves a 2-1 lead.

The Bulldogs then scored three runs in the top of the second to take a 4-2 lead. The Wolves then exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the third as Hanlon hit a leadoff single while Grissom drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Caleb Brooks (Brandon) then hit an RBI-single scoring Hanlon while Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) followed with a single to load the bases for the Wolves. Brady White (Ethel) then hit a two-RBI single scoring Grissom and Brooks while Evan Holifield hit a second-straight RBI-single scoring Griffin to give the Wolves a 6-4 lead. Jones then reached base on a fielder's choice as Holifield was forced out on the play while Donovan Moore (Roxie) hit an RBI-double scoring White. Combs then hit a sacrifice fly scoring Jones and increasing the lead to 8-4. After Hanlon drew a walk and stole second, Moore scored on a wild pitch extending the lead to 9-4.

The Wolves then added two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Griffin and White drew back-to-back walks while Holifield singled to load the bases with no outs. Griffin then scored on a sacrifice fly by Jones while Moore hit another RBI-double scoring White and pushing the lead to 11-4.

The Bulldogs then took advantage of an error by the Wolves scored six runs in the top of the fifth highlighted by a three-run home run cutting the lead down to 11-10. The Wolves responded with a single run in the bottom of the sixth as Moore singled, Combs was hit-by-pitch, and Hanlon singled to load the bases with no outs. Moore later scored on a balk to increase the lead to 12-10.

The Bulldogs then hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to make the score, 12-11. However, the Wolves responded with a single run in the bottom half as White hit a leadoff triple and then scored on an RBI-groundout by Cam Murphy (Brandon) pushing the lead to 13-11.

The Bulldogs then scored three runs in the top of the eighth to take a 14-13 lead. The Wolves looked to respond in the bottom half as Grissom singled and Brooks doubles to put two runners in scoring position with two outs. However, a strikeout left the runners stranded with the Bulldogs holding their lead. The Wolves were then retired in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win for the Bulldogs.

The Wolves totaled 16 hits as Donovan Moore and Evan Holifield had three hits each while Bradley Hanlon, John Mark Grissom, Caleb Brooks, and Brady White had two hits apiece with Bryson Jones and Avery Griffin adding one hit each. Moore, Grissom, and White led the Wolves with two RBIs apiece while Jones, Brooks, Holifield, Matthew Combs, and Cam Murphy had one RBI each.

Cam Patterson (Central, LA) got the start and earned a no-decision while pitching 4.1 innings and allowing nine runs, six earned, on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts. MT Breland (Columbia) pitched 0.2 innings of relief allowing one earned run on one hit with two strikeouts while Akavion Griffith (Magee) pitched two innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) took the loss (3-4) while pitching two innings of relief allowing one earned run on one hit with one strikeout.

GAME TWO

The Wolves took an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first as Bryson Jones reached on an error while Donovan Moore hit a single to put two runners on with no outs. Bradley Hanlon then ripped an RBI-double scoring Jones and Moore and giving the Wolves a 2-0 lead. After Hanlon advanced to third on an error on a pickoff attempt, he then scored on an RBI-groundout by John Mark Grissom increasing the lead to 3-0.

The Bulldogs then used a leadoff solo home run in the top of the second to cut the lead down to 3-1. The Wolves got the run back in the bottom of the inning as Avery Griffin hit a leadoff single, took second on a sacrifice bunt by Bryan Travis (Gulfport), and then scored on an RBI-double by Evan Holifield making the score, 4-1.

The Wolves then added three runs in the bottom of the third as Grissom hit a leadoff single to get the offense started, Matthew Combs then crushed a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left field for a two-run home run increasing the lead to 6-1. Later in the inning, Travis hit a one-out double and later scored on an RBI-single by Jones pushing the lead to 7-1.

The Bulldogs then took advantage of an error by the Wolves in the top of the fifth and scored four runs to cut the lead down to 7-5. The Bulldogs were then retired in order in the top of the sixth and then got the leadoff runner on base via an error in the top of the seventh. A two-out single the put the tying run on base, but a flyout ended the inning securing the game two victory and split of the day for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled 11 hits as Matthew Combs and Bryan Travis led the way with two hits apiece while Bryson Jones, Donovan Moore, Bradley Hanlon, John Mark Grissom, Caleb Brooks, Avery Griffin, and Evan Holifield had one hit each. Hanlon and Combs led the Wolves in RBIs with two apiece while Jones, Grissom, and Holifield had one RBI each.

Wes White (Flowood) got the start and improved 6-4 with the win while 4.2 innings and allowing five runs, one earned, on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) picked up his third save of the season with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief allowing two hits with three strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 26-17 overall, 11-9 in MACCC play, and will return to action hosting Northwest on Saturday, April 18 for a Top 25 matchup, First pitch between the No. 18 Rangers and the No. 21 Wolves is set for 1 p.m., at Sullivan Field in Wesson. The Wolves will also celebrate Sophomore Day in between the games.