Wolves Split Conference Opener 

MERIDIAN – The Co-Lin Baseball team hit the road to open conference play against Meridian on Tuesday, March 10. The Wolves split the day with the No. 19 Eagles dropping game one, 10-7, and the rebounding for a game two shutout win, 4-0.

GAME ONE

The game was scoreless until the Wolves broke through first with a single run in the top of the third as Bryson Jones (Brandon) hit a leadoff single. After Jones was picked off, Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) drew a walk and then stole second while Davidson drew a walk to put two runners on with one out. Griffin then scored before a double play ended the inning with the Wolves leading, 1-0.

The Eagles then scored three runs in the bottom half including a two-run home run to take the lead, 3-1. However, the Wolves responded with three runs in the top of the fourth as Donovan Moore (Roxie) hit a leadoff single while John Mark Grissom (Pearl) was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Later in the inning, Hayes Hebert (Lafayette, LA) crushed 1-1 pitch over the right field fence for a three-run home run, his first of the season, giving the Wolves a 4-3 lead.

That score held until the Wolves added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth as Caleb Brooks (Brandon) drew a walk to start the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hebert. Later in the inning, Evan Holifield (Stringer) drew a walk to put two runners on with one out while Jones then hit an RBI-single scoring Brooks and increasing the lead to 5-3. Griffin then drew a walk to load the bases while Trey Davidson (Brandon) was hit-by-pitch scoring Holifield and making the lead, 6-3. A strikeout followed by a flyout then ended the inning with the bases loaded.

The Eagles then used back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead down to 6-5 and then scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh including a three-run home run to take a 9-6 lead.

The Wolves then scored one run in the top of the eighth as Holifield hit a leadoff double and then took third on a single by Jones. Holifield then scored as Griffin reached on an error cutting the lead down to 9-7. However, a fielder's choice followed by back-to-back popouts brought the potential rally to an end.

The Eagles then scored one run in the bottom of the eighth and retired the Wolves in order in the top of the ninth to seal the 10-7 win.

The Wolves totaled seven hits as a team as Bryson Jones led the way with four hits while Donovan Moore, Hayes Hebert, and Evan Holifield had one hit each. Hebert led the Wolves in RBIs with three while Jones, Avery Griffin, Trey Davidson, and Bradley Hanlon had one RBI each.

Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) got the start and moved to 3-1 overall while pitching 6.2 innings and allowing seven runs, all earned, on 10 hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Nash Sturdivant pitched 1.1 innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with two strikeouts while Lucian Walker (Starkville) pitched one inning of scoreless relief with one hit and one strikeout.

GAME TWO

Once again, the game was scoreless until the Wolves scored one run in the top of the third. Matthew Combs (Hurley) smashed a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for a leadoff solo home run to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Wolves then added a solo run in the top of the fourth as Avery Griffin hit a leadoff triple while Brady White (Ethel) drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Griffin then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Caleb Brooks increasing the lead to 2-0.

That score held until the Wolves added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth as Bryson Jones drew a walk, Griffin was hit-by-pitch, and White hit a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Brooks then hit a two-RBI double scoring Jones and Griffin and making the lead, 4-0.

The Eagles threatened to score in the sixth with a leadoff single, but a strikeout followed by two flyouts brought the inning to an end. The Eagles then got a leadoff single followed by a walk, but back-to-back strikeouts followed by a lineout ended the game securing the victory and split for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled four hits as a team with Avery Griffin, Brady White, Caleb Brooks, and Matthew Combs having one hit each. Brooks led the Wolves in RBIs with three while Combs had one.

Wes White (Flowood) got the start and moved to 3-1 with the dominant complete game shutout allowing six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 16-9 overall, 1-1 in MACCC play, and will return to action on the road against Mississippi Delta on Saturday, March 14. First pitch between the Wolves and the Trojans is set for Noon at the Jimmy Bellipanni Baseball Complex in Moorhead.