Co-Lin rallies twice to put away Baton Rouge
Published 6:00 am Monday, March 5, 2007
WESSON — The Baton Rouge Bears were looking to end theirsix-game losing streak at the expense of the Co-Lin CommunityCollege Wolves. It wasn’t going to happen, not on SullivanField.
Despite being down several runs in each game, the Wolves ralliedback in the final innings to secure a 6-5 win in the first game and7-6 victory in the finale on a bright but windy and cold Sundayafternoon.
In the continuation of the seventh inning of an unfinished gameat Baton Rouge on Feb. 18, Co-Lin allowed the game-winning run withtwo outs for a 5-4 loss before the start of Sunday’sdoubleheader.
“We have to start making adjustments earlier in the game,” saidCo-Lin head baseball coach Keith Case about the late hits in thedoubleheader. “You can’t always wait until the end of the ballgame. The freshmen believed they could win it. You have to lovetheir attitude.”
Wednesday at Sullivan Field, Co-Lin (10-4) entertains WabashValley at 1 p.m. then hosts Miss. Delta at 6. Baton Rouge falls to10-10 on the season.
Co-Lin 6, Baton Rouge 5
In the first game, Joseph Langham worked the firstinning then he relieved by Brett Hartfield (2-0) who worked theremainder of the game until the final out. Ryan Hoben pitched thefinal out. Hartfield allowed 5 runs on 7 hits. struck out 2 battersand walked 2.
Absorbing the loss was Rhett Cruthirds with 2strikeouts, 2 walks and 6 runs allowed on eight hits.
Baton Rouge went up 4-0 in the top of the second inningand added another run in the third for a 5-0 lead.
Co-Lin roared back with 2 runs in the bottom of thefifth, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Taebyus Smith was hit by a pitchand advanced to first base. Cole Hodges singled and Ryan Hobendoubled to score Smith for the first run. With two out, JordanToney doubled in the second run.
The Wolves exploded for four runs in the bottom of thefifth to take a 6-5 lead. David New singled and Brandt Hinton camein to pinch run for him. Smith was hit by a pitch again and went tofirst base. Hodges walked and the bases were loaded with noouts.
Baton Rouge brought in new pitcher Rhett Cruthirds withHoben at the plate. He sacrificed to score Hinton for the thirdrun. Orders smashed a triple to score Smith and Hodges for runs No.4 and 5. With one out, Toney walked. Timmy Foster singled to scoreToney for the go ahead run.
Powering Baton Rouge with a double and a single apiecewere Jarred Roden and Chris Ernest. Doubling was Gatlin Jones andRick McGraw.
Co-Lin 7, Baton Rouge 6
Baton Rouge pounced on Co-Lin in the first inning for a 4-0lead. Blake Balden ripped a 3-run homer over the left field wall.and James Howell singled to score Chris Ernest who had doubledpreviously for the other run.
In the top of the third, the Bears added two more runs for a 6-0lead. Cruthirds led off with a single. Ernest doubled to scoreCruthirds for the fifth run. Balden singled, then stole secondbase. Jarrod Fabacher singled to score Ernest for the sixthrun.
The Wolves collected three runs in the bottom of the sixth,cutting the deficit to 5-3. Toney advanced to first base on athrowing error. Foster singled and Paul Davis singled. With twoouts, Smith ripped a double to left field to score Foster and Davisfor the first and second runs. James Antoon bloopered to rightfield and score Smith for the third run.
Co-Lin’s bats continued to produce in the final inning,collecting four runs for the comeback win. James Landry, a Co-Lintransfer from last year’s team, took over for Baton Rouge in thebottom of the seventh. Orders walked. Hodges singled and stolesecond base on a wild pitch while Orders took home plate for the4th run. Toney singled.
Baton Rouge brought in Michael Navarre to try to finish off theWolves without much success. Foster was walked. Davis delivered ahard single to score two more runs, tying the game at 6-all. Newwalked and Smith came up with a hard rip to right field to scoreFoster and end the game.
Going the distance for Co-Lin with 7 strikeouts, 1 walk and 6runs allowed on 7 hits was Justin Champagne (1-0). Cody Larkinabsorbed the loss with 3 runs allowed on 4 hits, 3 strikeouts and 2walks.
“Champagne did well,” said Case. “He started reversing some ofhis pitches, his changeup, breaking balls, etc. The defense playedwell in the second game.”