Wolves Sweep Nationally Ranked Dolphins

WESSON – The Co-Lin Baseball team faced their first road test of the season as they faced off against No. 25 Delgado on Wednesday, February 5. The Wolves swept the Dolphins giving the team their first sweep of a nationally ranked opponent under head coach Adam Chamblee taking game one, 5-2, and game two, 3-1.

GAME ONE

The first game of the day was scoreless through the first two innings, but the Wolves broke through first with a single run in the top of the third as Gavin Bledsoe (Brandon) hit a one-out double to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Bledsoe scored on a two-out RBI single by Lucas Harrington (Youngsville, LA) to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

That lead held until the bottom of the sixth when the Dolphins tied the game with a single run. However, the Wolves responded by retaking the lead with a run in the top of the seventh as Avery Griffin (Brookhaven) hit a leadoff single. Griffin then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Reise Thomas (Florence) and scored on an RBI single by Bledsoe giving the Wolves a 2-1 lead.

The Dolphins then tied the game with a single run in the bottom half of the inning, but left the bases loaded after an inning-ending strikeout to send the game into extras tied at 2-2. The Wolves responded with three runs in the eighth as Evan Holifield (Stringer) hit a leadoff single and advanced to third on a double by Sam Cook (Shubuta) while Owen Spooner (Stone) was brought in as a runner for Cook. Later in the inning, Holifield scored on a bunt single by Griffin while Spooner then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Thomas giving the Wolves a 4-2 lead. Griffin then scored the final run on an RBI single by Bledsoe to increase the lead to 5-2.

The Dolphins got a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth, but a fly out ended the game and sealed the 5-2 victory for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled 16 hits as a team as Gavin Bledsoe, Sam Cook, and Trey Davidson (Brandon) had three hits each while Avery Griffin had two hits with Lucas Harrington, Dylan Wesson (Brandon), Evan Holifield, Caleb Brooks (Brandon), and Reise Thomas had one hit each.

Lucas Harrington got the start for the Wolves and earned a no-decision while pitching five scoreless innings and allowing three hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Carter Leggett (Laurel) pitched 0.1 innings of relief allowing one earned run on two hits with one walk while Wes White (Flowood) picked up his first collegiate win with 1.2 innings of relief allowing one earned run on two hits with two walks and one strikeout. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) picked up his first collegiate save with one inning of scoreless relief allowing one hit.

GAME TWO

The second game of the doubleheader saw the Wolves score in the top of the first inning as Bledsoe hit a leadoff double to start the game. Later in the inning, Harrington delivered a one-out RBI-double scoring Bledsoe and giving the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The lead held until the Dolphins tied the game with a solo run in the bottom of the third making the score, 1-1. The Wolves responded by retaking the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth as Griffin drew a two-out walk and then advanced to third on a double by Thomas. Bledsoe then reached on an error scoring both Griffin and Thomas making the score, 3-1.

The Dolphins managed just four baserunners for the remaining four innings including back-to-back singles to start the fourth, but the rally was ended as the Dolphins then went strikeout, fly out, strikeout. The Dolphins then got a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh followed by a strikeout to put one on with one out. After a walk put two runners on with one out, the Wolves forced a game-ending, sweep-securing double play to get the 3-1 victory.

The Wolves totaled four hits in the game as Bledsoe, Harrington, Brooks, and Thomas had one hit each while Harrington recorded the lone RBI for the team.

Parker Ishee (Ridgeland) got the start and was dominant for the Wolves to pick up his first collegiate win. Ishee pitched 6.1 innings allowing one earned run on eight hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts joining Connor Pittman and Coby Gollott as the only pitchers under Chamblee to hit double-digit strikeouts in a start (Both did it twice last year as sophomores). Darrin Robbins (Sumrall) picked up his first collegiate save with 0.2 innings of relief allowing one walk.

Co-Lin is now 4-1 overall and will return to action hosting St. Charles Community College with four games over the upcoming weekend. The Cougars and Wolves will play a single game on Friday, February 7, at 4 p.m., a doubleheader on Saturday, February 8, starting at 2 p.m., and then a single game on Sunday, February 9, starting at Noon all at Sullivan Field.