Co-Lin falls to Meridian in extra frame

MERIDIAN, Miss. – The Wolves of Copiah-Lincoln Community College plated 11 runs on 12 hits on Saturday, but it the Eagles prevailed as Meridian plated two in the bottom of the tenth for a walk-off victory. The loss moved the Wolves to 11-3 on the year, and 0-1 in MACJC play.

Meridian got things started with three runs in the bottom of the first inning with a three-run homer from Sam McWilliams.

Co-Lin responded with one run in the top of the second and another in the top of the third. An RBI single from Austin O'Flynn scored C.J. Estave in the second, while a solo home run from Thomas Slagle scored the other, cutting Meridian's lead to 3-2.

The slugfest continued in the bottom of the third frame as the Eagles hit two more homers to stretch the lead to 6-2.

That lead grew to 9-2 just one inning later with a sacrifice fly and yet another home run from Meridian's McWilliams.

The Wolves chipped away and got one back in the top of the fifth with a solo shot from Madison Smith, the sixth home run of the day.

A walk with the bases loaded gave Meridian a 10-3 lead in the fifth, but the Wolves roared back in the top of the sixth with even more round-trippers. Jaylyn Williams scored Ryan Zimmerman with a two-run blast to right field, and O'Flynn hit a solo home run to left, cutting the Eagles' lead to just four, 10-6.

An error and a wild pitch pushed two more across for Co-Lin in the eighth bring Meridian's lead to just two, 10-8.

Co-Lin knotted the game 10-10 in the top of the ninth with an RBI double from Williams, and a Meridian error that plated Chandler Dillard. Justin Hutton came in with one out in the ninth and got two strikeouts to force extra innings.

Austin Tidwell led off the tenth with a double and scored on an error to give the Wolves an 11-10 lead, but the Eagles scored two on a groundball in the bottom of the tenth to escape with the win.

Matthew Harrison was the winning pitcher for Meridian. He allowed zero hits and zero runs over one inning, striking out one and walking zero. Peter Holland threw one and one-third innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Hutton took the loss for the Wolves. He allowed two hits and two runs over one inning, striking out two.

Jordan Bowden started the game for Co-Lin and lasted three innings, allowing seven hits and eight runs while striking out two and walking one. Hunter Stanley started the game for the Eagles. He went seven and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs on nine hits, striking out 14 and walking zero.

Craig Bradley, Williams, O'Flynn, and Estave each collected two hits to lead the Wolves at the plate in the contest.