Wolves Walkoff Leads to Sweep

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team resumed MACCC play by hosting East Mississippi on Friday, April 3. The Wolves swept the Lions walking off game one, 9-6, and then getting a run rule, 11-1, win in game two.

GAME ONE

The Lions got on the board first as they hit a solo home run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. The Wolves responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second as Caleb Brooks (Brandon) hit a leadoff single to get the offense started. Later in the inning, Brady White (Ethel) crushed a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left field for a two-run home run giving the Wolves a 2-1 lead.

The Wolves added a single run in the bottom of the third as Trey Davidson (Brandon) hit a leadoff double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by John Mark Grissom (Pearl) increasing the lead to 3-1. The Lions then cut the lead down to one, 3-2, as they scored a run in the top of the fourth.

That score held until the bottom of the sixth when the Wolves scored three runs as Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) hit a leadoff single while White drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. After Griffin was forced out while Evan Holifield (Stringer) reached on a fielder's choice, Bryson Jones (Brandon) hit an RBI-double scoring White and increasing the lead to 4-2. After Donovan Moore (Roxie) was hit-by-pitch to load the bases, Holifield scored on an RBI-groundout by Davidson while Bradley Hanlon (Monroe, LA) hit an RBI-single scoring Jones and making the lead, 6-2.

The Lions then scored three runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to tie the game at 6-6. The Wolves looked to retake the lead in the eighth as Jones hit a single while Moore was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with one out. However, a double play ended the inning with the game remaining tied.

The Wolves then retired the Lions in order in the top of the ninth setting the stage for a potential walk-off win. After a strikeout started the inning, Grissom hit a single while Brooks was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with one out. Griffin then started his at-bat with two balls prompting a pitching change from the Lions. The new pitcher then got Griffin to a 3-1 count while the next pitch was blasted over the fence in left field for a walk-off three-run home run giving the Wolves a 9-6 win.

The Wolves totaled 11 hits as Bryson Jones, Caleb Brooks, and Avery Griffin had two hits apiece while Donovan Moore, Trey Davidson, Bradley Hanlon, John Mark Grissom, and Brady White had one hit each. Griffin led the team in RBIs with three while White had two with Jones, Davidson, Hanlon, and Grissom had one RBI each.

Tanner Blackwell (Flora) got the start and earned a no-decision while pitching four innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) pitched 2.2 innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Lucian Walker (Starkville) pitched 0.1 innings of relief one earned run on two hits. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) picked up the win (2-1) with two innings of scoreless and hitless relief.

GAME TWO

The Wolves got on the board first as they scored five runs in the bottom of the first as Trey Davidson walked, Bradley Hanlon singled, and John Mark Grissom singled to load the bases with two outs. Davidson scored on a passed ball giving the Wolves a 1-0 lead while Caleb Brooks drew a walk to re-load the bases. Avery Griffin then hit a two-RBI single scoring Hanlon and Grissom while Brady White hit an RBI single scoring Brooks. Griffin then scored on a wild pitch increasing the lead to 5-0.

The Wolves added four runs in the bottom of the second as Moore was hit-by-pitch to start the inning. Later in the inning, Grissom ambushed and crushed the first pitch of his at-bat over the left field fence for a two-run home run pushing the lead to 7-0. Brooks then singled while Griffin and White drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with two outs. Evan Holifield then hit a two-RBI single scoring Brooks and Griffin making the lead, 9-0.

The Lions then scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the third as they took advantage of an error by the Wolves cutting the lead down to 9-1. The Wolves final two runs came in the bottom of the fourth as Bryan Travis smashed a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a leadoff solo home run. Brooks then saw two pitches in his at-bat as the second one also went over the fence in left field for back-to-back solo home runs increasing the lead to 11-1.

The Lions then went groundout, single, flyout, strikeout to end the game securing the victory and sweep for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled eight hits as Caleb Brooks went 2-for-2 while Bradley Hanlon, John Mark Grissom, Bryan Travis, Avery Griffin, Brady White, and Evan Holifield had one hit each. Grissom, Griffin, and Holifield led the Wolves in RBIs with two apiece while Travis, Brooks, and White had one RBI each.

Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) got the start and earned the win (4-2) with the complete game effort allowing one unearned run on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 23-14 overall, 8-6 in MACCC play and will return to action hosting Jones on Wednesday, April 8. First pitch between the Bobcats and the Wolves is set for 3 p.m., at Sullivan Field in Wesson.