Hot bats lift Co-Lin over Highland

WESSON, Miss. – The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves did not struggle scoring runs on Saturday as the team poured in 23 runs in a pair of wins over Highland Community College 11-1, and 12-7. The wins moved the Wolves to 7-2 on the year. Co-Lin is back in action this Monday, March 11 as the team travels to New Orleans, La. to take on Delgado at 5 and 8 p.m.

Game One

Co-Lin raked four runs in the bottom of the third to get the scoring started on Saturday. Joshua Day dove in two runs with a triple to left field to put the Wolves on top before Ryan Zimmerman ripped an RBI single to stretch the lead to 3-0. Mark Hubbard followed with a ground out that scored Zimmerman to grow the lead to 4-0 through three innings.

The Cougars scratched one across in the top of the fourth, but Wolves got another three in the bottom half of the frame. A sacrifice fly from Austin Tidwell and a hit batter with the bases loaded scored two. Hubbard followed with an RBI single to pull the lead to 7-1 going into the fifth.

Konner Allen forced three-up-three-down from the mound in the top of the fifth to put the Wolves back at the plate. RBI singles from Justin Johnson and Tidwell plated two players, while an error scored another. With the bases loaded Zimmerman drew a walk to score Thomas Slagle to earn the Wolves an 11-1 run-rule victory.

Allen got the win on the bump as went the distance in the five-inning contest. He surrendered one run on three hits over five innings, striking out ten and walking one.

Day and Brooks Italiano led the Wolves at the plate with two hits each while Hubbard, Zimmerman, Tidwell, and Day all posted two RBIs.

Game Two

The Wolves kept up the intensity at the dish in game two as Day cranked a two-run homer after Tidwell drew a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the second. Clint Stephens drove in another later in the frame with an RBI single and Allen drew a bases-loaded walk to put Co-Lin on top 4-0 early.

Co-Lin had another big inning in the third as three straight singles loaded the bases for Thomas Slagle. Slagle ripped a ground ball down the third base for a bases-clearing double that grew the Wolves' lead to 7-0.

The Cougars stuck around after plating three in the top of the fourth with a towering three-run homer from Josue Ortiz to cut the lead to 7-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Wolves capitalized on two walks as Day cranked his second homer of the game, this three-run shot stretched the lead to 10-3. Zimmerman crossed the plate later in the inning on a balk to put the Wolves on top 11-3.

Just when the Wolves looked to be in control the Cougars came roaring back with a two-run homer from Jaron Groshans and another two-run bomb from Bryce Veesey to cut Co-Lin's lead down to 11-7.

The Wolves got another run in on a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth, before sealing the win the top of the seventh.

Brandon Brown earned the victory on the mound for the Wolves. He allowed two hits and three runs over four innings, striking out seven and walking one. A number of pitchers entered the game as relief including Lane Hanna, Jay Smith, Tucker Jones, and Zach Smith all securing outs and ultimately the victory.