Wolves Drop Games to Eagles and Bears

RAYMOND – The Co-Lin Baseball team returned to action against a pair of MACCC opponents in Hinds and Southwest in non-conference play. The Eagles beat the Wolves in their first game of the day, 7-5, while the Bears beat the Wolves in their second game, 8-4, in 11 innings.

GAME ONE

The Eagles took advantage of a big bottom half of the first by scoring four runs in the inning to take a 4-0 lead over the Wolves. The Eagles then added a pair of runs in the second to increase their lead to 6-0 after two innings of play.

The Wolves scored their first run of the game in the top of the fourth as Tucker Jones (Brandon) drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and then scored on an RBI double by Jon David Weed making the score, 6-1. The Wolves added another solo run in the top of the fifth as Brayden Bankston (Terry) drew a leadoff walk and then Brentley Berry (Magee) was hit-by-pitch. Both runners then advanced bases on a passed ball while Bankston later scored on a sacrifice fly by Weed cutting the lead down to 6-2.

The Eagles regained their five-run lead with a single run in the bottom of the fifth making the score, 7-2. However, the Wolves responded with another solo run in the sixth as Sam Cook (Shubuta) led off reaching base on an error, advanced to second on a passed ball, and then tagged up on a fly ball to reach third base. Braden Freeman (Terry) was brought in as a pinch runner and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Riley Easterling (Brookhaven) making the score, 7-3.

The Wolves scored two runs in the seventh with Berry getting the offense going with a leadoff single, but was forced out at second as Jones reached on a fielder's choice. Weed then singled allowing Jones to advance from first to third on the play. Jones then scored on an RBI single by Hagan Coumbe (Utica) while Weed advanced from first to third. Weed then scored the final run of the game as the Eagles turned a game-ending double play during the next at-bat to seal the 7-5 win over the Wolves. 

JD Weed led the Wolves going 2-for-3 at the plate while Brentley Berry, Hagan Coumbe, and Sam Cook had one hit each. Weed led the team in RBIs with two while Coumbe and Riley Easterling had one RBI each.

Caleb Flynn (Laurel) got the start for the Wolves and moved to 0-1 on the season. Flynn pitched two innings six runs, all earned, on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Lucas Harrington (Youngsville, LA) pitched four innings of relief allowing one unearned run on three hits with three strikeouts.

GAME TWO

The Wolves got off to fast start in their second game of the day scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to take a lead over the Bears. Brayden Bankton and Brentley Berry hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. An error on a pickoff attempt at first allowed Bankston to score the first run of the game while Berry advanced to third on the play. Berry then scored on an RBI single by Tucker Jones who advanced to second on an error during the play. Jones later took third and scored on two separate wild pitches to give the Wolves a 3-0 lead.

The Bears then scored two runs in the third and one in the fourth to tie the game at 3-3 while holding the Wolves to just two combined baserunners both via walks in the second through fourth innings. The Bears then took the lead with a single run in the fifth making the score, 4-3. However, the Wolves responded with a single run in the bottom of the sixth as Jordan McKenzie (Franklinton, LA) got the offense started with a one-out single. McKenzie then stole second and later scored on an RBI double by Reise Thomas (Florence) tying the game at 4-4. Thomas then advanced to third on a passed ball, but a fly out ended the inning to keep the game tied.

Neither team could get their offenses going in the seventh sending the game to extra innings. The game remained tied until the top of the 11th when the Bears scored four runs to take an 8-4 lead. The Wolves got a leadoff double from Spencer Wilson (McComb) in the bottom half of the inning, but the Bears then recorded three straight outs to end the game and seal the 8-4 win.

Brentley Berry and Tucker Jones led the Wolves offense with two hits apiece while Brayden Bankston, JD Weed, Spencer Wilson, Hagan Coumbe, and Reise Thomas had one hit each. Jones and Thomas had one RBI each.

Coby Gollot (Ocean Springs) got the start and picked up a no-decision while pitching seven innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Jayden Duncan (Foxworth) picked up the loss in a relief appearance moving to 1-1 on the season. Duncan pitched four innings allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits with one walk and one strikeout.

Co-Lin is now 7-9 overall and returns to action on the road against Baton Rouge on Thursday, February 29. First pitch between the Wolves and Bears is set for 3 p.m., at Pete Goldsby Field in Baton Rouge.