By TIM GUERCIO

The Natchez Democrat

MONTEREY — The Monterey Wolves couldn’t get anything going Monday night at home against The Harrisonburg Bulldogs and bowed out after five innings with the score 12-2.

Avery Smith pitching for the Bulldogs struck out the side in the second inning.

At the plate in the top of the third, Smith doubled to left centerfield to lead off the inning. Smith was able to score and tie the game 1-1.

Monterey got to Smith in the third inning, sending six batters to the plate and getting one more run home to take the lead again 2-1.

After two batters reached base in the fourth, Monterey coach Patrick Wells made a switch, he pulled pitcher Ethan Clark and put him behind the plate to catch and sent Cooper Roach from shortstop to the mound to manage from there.

Roach managed to get a strikeout and two infield groundouts but a walk and a passed ball along with a double to deep left field by Bulldog Braxton Tiffee gave Harrisonburg the lead they needed to pull ahead 5-2.

Smith who went the distance for the Bulldogs saw five batters for the Wolves in the bottom of the fourth and struck out three, allowing no runs.

Wells sent out eighth-grader Kerry King to start the fifth inning. King struck out one and left the game to Mason Wells with the bases loaded.

Mason Wells could fare no better pitching in the inning as the young Wolves pitchers had to face 12 Bulldog batters and seven more runs to make the final score 12-2. The Wolves could not scratch out any runs in their fifth inning and the game was complete after five innings, per the 10 run rule.

“Harrisonburg beat us a couple of weeks ago 4-1, and we stranded 12 men on base,” Patrick Wells said. “They pitched a lot better against us tonight than they did last time.”

Harrisonburg Coach Clay McDuffee said his team’s win came under difficult circumstances.

“We have two guys out and two guys playing hurt, but we’re starting to click,” McDuffee said.

The game-inning pitcher Avery Smith had six strikeouts.

The loss goes to Cooper Roach.