Wolves Grab Two Wins in Season Opening Road Trip

PENSACOLA – The Co-Lin Baseball team opened the 2024 season with three games over a two-day road trip to Pensacola State on Friday, February 1 and Saturday, February 2. The Wolves lost their season opener to the Pensacola State Pirates, 6-3, on Friday and then rebounded with a pair of wins on Saturday beating the Cardinals of Mineral Area, 8-5, and then beating the Pirates, 6-2, in their second game of the day.

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The Wolves got on the board early in the game as they scored their first run in the top of the first as Dylan Wesson (Brandon) hit a two-out single, advanced to second when Jon David Weed (Terry) was hit-by-pitch, and then scored on an RBI single by Jordan McKenzie (Franklinton, LA) to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The Wolves added a second run in the top of the second as Brayden Bankston (Terry) and Braydon Evans (Florence) hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. Both runners then advanced on a double steal while Bankston scored on an RBI groundout by Riley Easterling (Brookhaven) to increase the Wolves lead to 2-0.

The Pirates then took the lead with three straight solo home runs in the bottom of the third and added a pair of runs on a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth making the score, 5-2. The Wolves cut the lead down to 5-3 with a solo run in the top of the sixth as Bankston hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a single by Easterling, and then scored on a single by Brentley Berry (Magee). However, the Pirates regained their three-run lead with a single run in the bottom of the sixth and then forced a three-up-and-three-down top of the seventh to seal the 6-3 win.

Connor Pittman (0-1) got the start on the mound and pitched 3.2 innings allowing four runs, all earned, on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts while Caleb Flynn (Laurel) pitched 2.1 innings of relief allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with two strikeouts.

Brentley Berry, Brayden Bankston, and Riley Easterling led the way with two hits each with Easterling adding one double. Berry, Easterling, and Jordan McKenzie led the team with one RBI each.

"I thought the guys played well against a very good team," stated Co-Lin head coach Adam Chamblee. "We still had a chance to win this game despite giving up four home runs. Unfortunately, we just didn't come up with the big hit we needed with runners in scoring position."

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The Wolves got on the board in the bottom of the first in a big way as Wesson took one swing of the bat and crushed an 0-1 pitch over the centerfield fence for a solo home run, his first of the season, making the score, 1-0. The Wolves then increased their lead with a big three-run second inning as Lucas Harrington (Youngsville, LA), Evans, and Bankston loaded the bases with no outs to start the inning. After a lineout double play, Tucker Jones (Brandon) stepped up and delivered a two-out, two-RBI double scoring Harrington and Evans, while Jones then scored on an RBI single by Wesson giving the Wolves a 4-0 lead.

The Wolves increased their lead with two runs in the top of the third as Christian Cameron (Brandon) drew a one-out walk, stole second, and scored on a single by Harrington. Harrington then stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bankston giving the Wolves a 6-0 lead. The Cardinals then scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of an error by the Wolves, and cut the lead down to 6-5.

The Wolves added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth as Berry and Jones drew back-to-back walks with one out while Berry later scored in the inning on a wild pitch while Jones scored on an RBI-groundout by Wesson giving the Wolves an 8-5 lead. The Wolves then forced back-to-back three-up-and-three-down innings by the Cardinals to secure the 8-5 victory.

Dylan Wesson, Jon David Weed, and Lucas Harrington led the way with two-hits each with both hits being doubles for Weed, while Tucker Jones had one double, and Wesson had one home run. Wesson led the Wolves in RBIs with three, while Jones had two RBIs, with Harrington and Brayden Bankston adding one RBI each.

Jordan McKenzie (1-0) got the start on the mound and pitched 3.2 innings allowing four runs, two earned, on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts while Coby Gollot (Ocean Springs) picked up his first save of the season pitching 3.1 innings of relief allowing one unearned run on one hit with one walk and four strikeouts.

"The top of the second inning was huge for us," stated Chamblee. "Tucker Jones and Dylan Wesson coming through with a double and single to score three runs and extend the lead came at a crucial time for our team especially after an unfortunate double play in a bases loaded situation earlier in the inning."

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The Pirates broke a scoreless game in the bottom of the third inning as they took advantage of an error by the Wolves to score two runs and take a 2-0 lead. The Wolves comeback effort then started with a solo run in the fourth inning as Hagan Coumbe (Utica) hit a lead-off single and then later scored on as Berry reached on a fielder's choice making the score, 2-1.

The Wolves then gained the lead with three runs in the fifth inning as Jones hit a leadoff bunt single while Wesson was hit-by-pitch. Both then advanced bases on a groundout, while Jones then scored on an RBI groundout by McKenzie to tie the game, 2-2. Coumbe then reached on an error advancing Jones to third while Easterling was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Back-to-back RBI singles by Sam Cook (Shubuta) and Bankston scored Wesson and Coumbe respectively to give the Wolves a 4-2 lead.

The Wolves added two more runs in the sixth as Weed drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then scored as McKenzie reached base on an error. McKenzie then advanced to second on a wild pitch and later scored as Coumbe reached on an error making the score 6-2. The Wolves then allowed a combined three baserunners over the final two innings to secure the 6-2 victory over the Pirates.

Sam Cook had the only multi-hit game for the Wolves going 2-for-2 at the plate while Tucker Jones, Hagan Coumbe, and Brayden Bankston added one hit each. Cook, Bankston, Jordan McKenzie, and Brentley Berry had one RBI each during the game.

Andin Bolen (Lucedale) got the start and earned a no-decision with three innings pitched while allowing two unearned runs on three hits. Lucas Harrington pitched one inning of scoreless relief with one strikeout while Jayden Duncan (Foxworth) picked up the win in relief moving to 1-0 on the season. Duncan pitched three innings of scoreless and hitless relief with two walks and two strikeouts.

"I was really proud of Jayden Duncan and how he handled coming in with the bases loaded in the fifth by getting a strikeout and then forcing a double play to keep the score where it was while the two hits with two outs by Sam Cook and Brayden Bankston to give us a 4-2 lead in the top half of the inning was huge," added Chamblee. "I am extremely proud of how our guys responded in our second day. Picking up two wins in one over two quality opponents didn't make for an easy day, but the guys just kept playing hard and we found ways to win."

Co-Lin is now 2-1 overall and returns to action on the road against Delgado on Tuesday, February 6. First pitch between the Wolves and the Dolphins is set for 3 p.m., at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium in New Orleans.