Wolves power past Southwest 13-11

WESSON, Miss. – Co-Lin hit three homers Tuesday night to power the Wolves to a 13-11 win over Southwest Community College in game one of the 2018 Coca-Cola Challenge presented by Powerade. Games two and three of the challenge will take place in Summit, Miss. on Southwest's campus. Games are slated for Tuesday, March 27 at 3 and 6 p.m.

The bats were hot all night for both teams as the Wolves and Bears combined for 26 hits. The Wolves struck first in the bottom of the first with two, two-run homers from Chandler Dillard and Jaylyn Williams.

Co-Lin held on to that four-run lead until the bottom of the third when the Wolves added three more. An RBI single from CJ Estave plated Ryan Zimmerman who reached base on a walk and stole second and third. Austin Tidwell knocked in Estave and Williams later in the inning to stretch Co-Lin's lead to 7-0.

The Bears fought back in the top of the fourth and knotted the game at seven all after three RBI singles and three Co-Lin errors scored seven runs.

Southwest took a 10-7 lead in the top of sixth after an error scored one and Southwest's T-Tez Cole hit a towering two-run homer.

Co-Lin immediately responded in the bottom half of the frame with a three-run homer from Zimmerman to tie the game yet again. Williams gave the Wolves an 11-10 lead with an RBI single that scored Estave who reached on a stand-up double that hit the wall.

The Wolves stretched the lead to 13-10 in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI from Thomas Slagle and a sacrifice fly from Craig Bradley.

A solo home run cut the Wolves lead to 13-11 in the eighth, but Co-Lin hung on in the ninth to secure the win.

Anthony Clapp pitched Co-Lin to victory. He surrendered five runs on six hits over four and two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking one. Justin Hutton threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. Hutton recorded the last three outs to earn the save for the Wolves.

Gage Kisler took the loss for Southwest. He allowed four hits and two runs over two innings, striking out three and walking one.

Co-Lin tallied 14 hits on the day. Williams, Estave, Zimmerman, Tidwell, and Dillard each racked up multiple hits for Co-Lin. Williams went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead the Wolves in hits.

To stay up-to-date on the Co-Lin Wolves follow @colinathletics on Twitter or visit colinathletics.com.