Wolves and Bulldogs Split Ranked Matchup

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team played host to Northwest in a ranked matchup in MACCC play on Saturday, April 18. The No. 18 Rangers and No. 21 Wolves split the day as the Wolves took game one, 12-7, and the Rangers won game two, 5-4.

GAME ONE

The Rangers got on the board first as they struck for three on a three-run home run to take an early 3-0 lead. That score held until the Wolves scored two in the bottom of the second as Matthew Combs (Hurley) drew a leadoff walk to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) crushed a 0-1 pitch over the right field fence for a two-run home run cutting the lead down to 3-2.

The Rangers then increased their lead with a single run in the top of the fifth making the score, 4-2.

The Wolves then took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the sixth as John Mark Grissom drew a leadoff walk to get the offense started. Later in the inning, Grissom scored on an RBI-triple by Caleb Brooks (Brandon) who then scored on an RBI-single by Griffin tying the game at 4-4. Brady White (Ethel) then smashed a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home to give the Wolves a 6-4 lead. The Wolves then looked to extend the lead as Evan Holifield (Stringer) was hit-by-pitch and Bryson Jones (Brandon) singled to put two runners on with one out. However, a flyout followed by a lineout ended the inning.

The Wolves then added three runs in the bottom of the seventh as Brooks hit a single while Griffin drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs. White then hit an RBI-double scoring Brooks while Griffin later scored on a passed ball increasing the lead to 8-4. Bryan Travis (Gulfport) then hit an RBI-single scoring White and making the lead 9-4.

The Rangers then scored three runs behind the strength of back-to-back home runs making the score, 9-7. The Wolves responded by getting all three runs back in the bottom half as Donovan Moore (Roxie) hit a leadoff double while Bradly Hanlon (Monroe, LA) was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with no outs while both runners then moved into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by Grissom. Later in the inning, Brooks ripped a two-out, two-RBI double scoring Moore and Hanlon while Griffin hit an RBI-infield single scoring Brooks to increase the lead to 12-7.

The Rangers were then retired in order in the top of the ninth to secure the game one victory for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled 11 hits as Caleb Brooks and Avery Griffin had three hits apiece while Brady White had two hits with Bryson Jones, Donovan Moore, and Bryan Travis adding one hit each. Griffin led the Wolves in RBIs with four while Brooks and White had three RBIs each with Travis adding one RBI.

Tanner Blackwell (Flora) got the start and improved to 2-1 overall while pitching 6.2 innings and allowing four runs, all earned, on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) pitched 2.1 innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on three hits with one strikeout.

GAME TWO

The Wolves got on the board first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first as Bryson Jones (Brandon) hit a leadoff single while later in the inning, Bradley Hanlon hit a single to put runners on the corners with one out. The Wolves then pulled off a double steal as Hanlon swiped second while Jones stole home to score the first run of the game. Later in the inning, Hanlon scored on a passed ball making the lead, 2-0.

The Rangers then hit a solo home run in the top of the second to cut the lead down to 2-1. The Rangers then hit a leadoff triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth.

The Wolves then regained the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth as Matthew Combs, Caleb Brooks, and Avery Griffin drew three straight walks to load the bases with no outs. Bryan Travis then drew a fourth-straight walk scoring Combs and giving the Wolves a 3-2 lead. Later in the inning, Brooks scored on a passed ball increasing the lead to 4-2.

The Rangers then hit a three-run home run to take a 5-4 lead over the Wolves in the top of the sixth. The Wolves then got two combined baserunners over the last two innings via a walk in each inning, but could not push the tying run across the plate as the Rangers sealed the game two win and split on the day.

The Wolves totaled four hits as Bradley Hanlon had two hits while Donovan Moore and Bryson Jones had one hits each. Bryan Travis had one RBI for the Wolves.

Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) got the start and earned a no-decision while pitching 5.1 innings and allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) took the loss (3-2) in relief while pitching 1.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 27-18, 12-10 in MACCC play, and will return to action on the road in the Coca-Cola Challenge against Southwest on Wednesday, April 22. First pitch between the Wolves and the Bears is set for 3 p.m., at Alumni Stadium in Summit.