Gulf Coast splits with Wolves
Published 6:00 am Thursday, March 31, 2005
WESSON — South Division baseball action heated up Wednesdaynight at Sullivan Field as the Co-Lin Wolves took on the Gulf CoastBulldog during a steady, light rain.
The Wolves won the opener 6-4 but fell to the Bulldogs 14-1 inthe finale.
Co-Lin falls to 1-3 in the South and 18-12 on the season. GulfCoast improved to 3-3 in South play and 21-13 overall.
The Wolves travel to Summit Saturday to meet the Southwest Bearsin a big division doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.
“We were four outs away from winning the second one,” saidCo-Lin head baseball coach Keith Case. “Baseball is a funny game.You are four outs away and suddenly it’s out of hand. The guys inthe bullpen weren’t able to seal it.
“Credit Gulf Coast,” added Case. “It was fortunate for us to getthe first game. Peter Wiggins (who signed with Auburn) is going tobe an SEC pitcher.
“We were competitive for 12 out of 14 winnings. The results fromthe sixth and seventh inning are not what we want.
“We have faced pretty good pitching the last few outings. We aregoing to regroup and get some energy back.”
Co-Lin 6, Gulf Coast 4
The winning pitcher was freshman right-hander Scotty Smith ofBrookhaven. Smith (4-2) worked 4 innings with 2 runs allowed on 7hits, 3 strikeouts and no walks.
In relief, Joseph Langham worked the next 2 inning with 2 runsallowed on 5 hits, 3 strikeouts and no walks. Ryan Belanger workedthe seventh for the save, fanning 2 batters and hitting one.
Absorbing the loss was Peter Wiggins (4-2) with 5 runs allowedon 6 hits, 6 strikeouts and 5 walks in 4 1/3 innings. RelieverScott Pickering finished with 1 run, 2 hits and 1 walk.
Gulf Coast scored one run in the first and second innings for a2-0 lead.
Co-Lin came back with two runs in the bottom of the third to tiethe game at 2-all. Josh Logan and Xavier Qualls were walked. Withtwo out, Garrett Jones ripped a hard single to left field thatscored Logan and Qualls.
Co-Lin’s Te Riley led of the bottom the fourth with a single andadvance to second on a passed ball. Riley scored on a single by BenSandifer who advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by GregKetchings. Sandifer stole home on a passed ball that got away fromGulf Coast catcher T.J. Hitt.
In the bottom of the fifth, the bases were loaded when Pickeringcame in and walked Riley for a 5-2 Co-Lin lead.
Gulf Coast scored two runs in the top of the sixth to cut theCo-Lin lead to 5-4. With one out, Miles Clark and Joey Butler hitback-to-back singles. Pinch hitter Leon Farmer doubled to scoreButler for the fourth run.
The Wolves added one more run in the bottom of the sixth for a6-4 lead. Qualls doubled to right field and Patrick Williams wasput on first base. Catcher Matthew Schexnayder singled to scoreQualls for the sixth Co-Lin run.
Jody Britt and Jones singled for the Wolves. Shortstop PatrickWilliams was cleated in the leg during a play at second base. Casesaid Williams’ leg is very swollen.
Gulf Coast 14, Co-Lin 1
The second game was a pitcher’s duel between Co-Lin’s RyanBelanger and Gulf Coast’s Miles Clark for five full innings.
Following a scoreless three innings, Co-Lin scored one run inthe bottom of the fourth for a 1-0 lead. Qualls singled, then stolesecond base. Schexnayder ripped a long single to score Qualls forthe Wolves only run.
Gulf Coast came back with four runs in the top of the sixth and10 in the seventh for the comeback win.
Belanger (4-3) absorbed the loss, working five innings with 4runs allowed on 6 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks and a hit batter.
Lance Deville worked for 2/3 inning with 2 runs allowed on 3hits. Will Buckels and Matthew Tubbs worked the seventh inning.
Qualls added another single for Co-Lin’s third hit of the game.Gulf Coast finished with 15 hits, most coming in the final twoinnings.
Winning pitcher Clark, a Southeast Louisiana signee, went thedistance after playing first base in the first game. Clark, allowed1 run on 3 hits, struck out 6 batters and walked 1 to improve hisrecord to 3-3. At the plate, the left-hander drilled a 2-run homerun, two doubles and a single to lead the Bulldog hitters.
“Miles had a good game,” said Gulf Coast head baseball coachCooper Farris after the win. “He has had some tough losses.
” Belanger is tough,” added Farris. “He is an outstandingpitcher. We knew going in he was the guy to beat.”
Butler singled 4 times for Gulf Coast. Jason Hockaday ripped 3singles. Doubling twice was Chad Green.
“We are playing with short numbers,” added Case, referring tohis team’s injuries. “The guys are playing really hard. We areproud of the way they are representing the school. They arebattling hard.”