Wolves split with EMCC in MACJC play

WESSON, Miss. – The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves moved to 12-7 on the season and 1-5 in MACJC play this past weekend after splitting with East Mississippi Community College in Wesson. The Wolves are traveling to Summit, Miss. on Tuesday, March 27 to take on the Southwest Bears for games two and three of the Coca-Cola Challenge. The Wolves won game one earlier in the year 13-11.

Game One, L, 13-11

Game one of Saturday's doubleheader saw a lot a lot of runs as both teams were hot at the plate. East Miss got things started with two runs in the first, but the Wolves plated five in the bottom of the opening frame. Austin O'Flynn drove in two runs with a single to tie the game, and Mark Hubbard hit towering three-run homer to give Co-Lin a 5-2 advantage.

The Lions plated two more in the top of the second to cut the Wolves' lead to just one.

In the top of the fourth East Mississippi's Anthony Hickman hit a three-run homer to give the Lions their first lead since the first inning, 7-5.

Austin Tidwell got one back for Co-Lin in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to lead off the inning, but EMCC plated one in the sixth and Hickman hit another home run, a grand slam, in the seventh to stretch the Lions' lead to 12-6. A solo EMCC homer in the eighth extended that lead to seven, 13-6.

The Wolves battled back and scored one in the eighth when Thomas Slagle was hit by pitch with the bases loaded, and four more in the bottom of the ninth with a solo homer from Jaylyn Williams and a three-run shot from Tidwell. The rally fell just short as the Lions escaped with a 13-11 victory.

Jaxen Forrester was the winning pitcher for EMCC. He lasted six innings, allowing five hits and six runs while striking out six. Peyton Warren and Hickman entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief. Hickman recorded the last out to earn the save for EMCC.

Zach James took the loss for Co-Lin. He went one and one-third innings, allowing three runs on four hits and walking zero.

Jordan Bowden started the game for the Wolves and lasted two innings, allowing five hits and four runs while striking out two and walking zero.

Hubbard, O'Flynn, and Tidwell all had two hits to lead the Wolves at the plate.

Game Two, W, 8-4

Co-Lin had a great start in game two as the Wolves pushed across seven runs in the first inning of play. The runs were the result of three singles from Jaylyn Williams, Austin Tidwell, and Craig Bradley. The others came from two EMCC errors. The big start gave starting pitcher Christian Day some breathing room as he began to fan East Miss batters.

A solo homer from Tidwell, his third of the day, to lead off the third extended Co-Lin's lead to 8-0.

Day held the Lions back for most of the contest, but a pair of doubles in the top of the seventh scored two for East Miss. An RBI single and a passed ball got two more across for the Lions but it was too-little-too-late as the Wolves secured the 8-4 MACJC win.

Day was the winning pitcher for Co-Lin as he allowed six hits and four runs over six and two-thirds innings, striking out 11. Tidwell threw one-third of an inning in relief out of the bullpen.

Luke Templeton took the loss for EMCC. He allowed six hits and seven runs in one inning, walking zero.

Williams and Tidwell both had three hits to lead the Wolves in the batter's box, while Ryan Zimmerman led the team with two stolen bases.

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