Wolves Season Ends in Region 23 Tournament

POPLARVILLE – The Co-Lin Baseball team faced off against the Pearl River Wildcats in an elimination game in the Region 23 Tournament on Thursday, May 7. The No. 1 Wildcats beat the No. 24 Wolves, 11-7, ending the season for the Wolves.

The Wolves got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning as Donovan Moore (Roxie) ambushed and crushed the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for a leadoff solo home run. His tenth home run of the season gave the Wolves an early 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats responded by taking the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second. However, the Wolves found an answer scoring a run in the bottom half as Bradley Hanlon (Monroe, LA) hit a leadoff single, stole second, and later scored on an RBI-double by Caleb Brooks (Brandon) tying the game at 2-2.

The Wolves then took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Trey Davidson (Brandon) hit a one-out single while Brady White (Ethel) reached on an error to put two runners on. Matthew Combs (Hurley) then hit an RBI-single scoring Davidson and giving the Wolves a 3-2 lead. After Hanlon drew a walk to load the bases with one out, Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) hit a sacrifice fly scoring White and increasing the lead to 4-2.

The Wildcats then regained the lead with three runs in the top of the fourth including a solo home run, making the score 5-4. However, the Wolves retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of runs as White led off the inning being hit-by-pitch. Combs then demolished a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run, his fifth of the season, making it a 6-5 game.

The Wildcats then tied the game again with a solo run in the top of the sixth making the score, 6-6. The Wildcats then used a two-run home run in the top of the eighth and a pair of home runs in the top of the ninth to score five runs, and take an 11-6 lead. The Wolves comeback attempt in the bottom of the ninth started off with back-to-back singles by Davidson and White to start the inning. Combs then hit a third-straight single scoring Davidson and cutting the lead down to 11-7; however, White was thrown out on the play while advancing to third. Hanlon then drew a walk to put two runners on with one out for the Wolves. Back-to-back strikeouts then ended the rally sealing the 11-7 win for the Wildcats while ending the season for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled 13 hits as a team with Trey Davidson and Matthew Combs led the way with three hits each while Bryson Jones (Brandon) and Caleb Brooks had two hits apiece with Donovan Moore, Brady White, and Bradley Hanlon adding one hit each. Combs led the Wolves in RBIs with four while Moore, Brooks, and Avery Griffin had one RBI each.

Akavion Griffith (Magee) got the start and earned a no-decision while pitching 1.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) pitched 1.2 innings allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits with one walk while Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) pitched 0.2 innings with two walks and one strikeout. Jacob Buffalo (Foxworth) pitched one inning allowing one earned run on two hits with two walks while Lucian Walker (Starkville) pitched two innings allowing one earned run with two walks. Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) took the loss in relief (5-4) while pitching 1.2 innings and allowing four runs, all earned, on five hits with one strikeout while Caleb Flynn (Laurel) pitched 0.1 innings of relief.

The Wolves finish the season with a 34-20 overall record.