Wolves Split Games in Region 23 Tournament

POPLARVILLE – The Co-Lin Baseball team hit the road to compete in the Region 23 Semifinal Tournament in Poplarville on Tuesday, May 5, and Wednesday, May 6. The Wolves split the two games so far losing to Jones in the opener on Tuesday, 13-5, and then staving off elimination by beating Hinds on Wednesday, May 6, 10-4.

JONES 13 CO-LIN 5

The Wolves got on the board first in the top of the first as Bryson Jones (Brandon) and Donovan Moore (Roxie) led off the game being hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Trey Davidson (Brandon) then hit an RBI-single scoring Jones and giving the Wolves a 1-0 lead. However, a double play followed by a popout brought the inning to an end with the Wolves unable to add on.

The Bobcats then responded with five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 5-1 lead over the Wolves. The Wolves fought back with a pair of runs in the top of the third as Jones and Moore hit back-to-back singles while Davidson was hit-by-pitch to load the bases with one out. Bradley Hanlon (Monroe, LA) then reached on an error allowing Jones to score on the play while Moore then scored on a sacrifice fly by Matthew Combs (Hurley) making the score, 5-3. The Wolves then added a single run in the top of the fifth as Jones hit a leadoff single and later scored as Davidson reached on an error cutting the lead down to one run, 5-4.

The Bobcats then scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings each to push their lead to 11-4.

The Wolves added a run in the top of the seventh as Evan Holifield (Stringer) hit a leadoff single while Jones was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Later in the inning, Davidson drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Holifield then scored on an RBI-groundout by Hanlon cutting the lead to 11-5. However, the Bobcats then scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to end the game with the score at 13-5.

The Wolves totaled six hits as Bryson Jones led the way going 2-for-2 while Donovan Moore, Trey Davidson, Avery Griffin (Brookhaven), and Evan Holifield had one hit each. Davidson, Bradley Hanlon, and Matthew Combs had one RBI each for the Wolves.

Tanner Blackwell (Flora) got the start and took the loss (3-2) with two innings pitched allowing five runs, all earned, on five hits with three walks. Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) pitched 2.1 innings allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits with two strikeouts while Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) pitched 1.1 innings allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Cameron Patterson (Central, LA) pitched 0.2 innings allowing two earned runs on two hits with three walks while Lucian Walker (Starkville) allowed one hit in his appearance.

CO-LIN 10 HINDS 4

The Wolves got on the board first with a single run in the top of the second as Bradley Hanlon crushed a 2-1 pitch over the centerfield fence for a solo home run, his third of the season, giving the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Wolves scored two runs in the top of the fifth as Avery Griffin got the offense going with a leadoff walk. Later in the inning, Evan Holifield ambushed and smashed the first pitch he saw over the fence in left field for a two-run home run, his third of the season, increasing the lead to 3-0.

The Wolves added two more runs in the top of the sixth as Brady White (Ethel) hit a leadoff single to get the offense started and then took second on a sacrifice bunt by Matthew Combs. Later in the inning, Hanlon was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with one out. After a lineout, Caleb Brooks (Brandon) drew a walk to load the bases with two outs while Holifield then delivered a two-RBI single scoring White and Hanlon and extending the lead to 5-0.

The Wolves then added five runs in the top of the ninth as Cam Murphy (Brandon) hit a leadoff single while Trey Davidson drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. White then hit an RBI-double scoring Murphy while Combs hit a two-RBI single scoring Davidson and White and increasing the lead to 8-0. Hanlon was then hit-by-pitch while Griffin drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Brooks and Holifield then hit back-to-back sacrifice flies scored Combs and Jacob Chancelor (Brandon), who was brought on as a pinch runner for Hanlon, respectfully and pushed the lead to 10-0.

The Eagles then scored four in the bottom of the ninth and had a runner on third, but a groundout ended the game securing the 10-4 victory for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled nine hits as Brady White and Evan Holifield had two hits apiece while Bryson Jones, Cam Murphy, Matthew Combs, Bradley Hanlon, and Avery Griffin had one hit each. Holifield led the Wolves in RBIs with five while Combs had two with White, Hanlon, and Caleb Brooks adding one RBI each.

Wes White (Flowood) improved to 9-4 with the win while pitching eight scoreless innings and allowing three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Caleb Flynn (Laurel) pitched 0.1 inning of relief allowing four runs, all earned, on four hits with one strikeout while Jacob Bufflao (Foxworth) pitched 0.2 innings of relief allowing two hits.

Co-Lin is now 34-19 overall and will return to action facing off against Pearl River in another elimination game in the tournament. First pitch between the No. 24 Wolves and the No. 1 Wildcats is set for 2 p.m., on Thursday, May 7.