MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Second-ranked Walters State opened its home baseball schedule with a bang Thursday afternoon, smacking 25 hits and scoring 29 runs in a doubleheader sweep of visiting King University's junior varsity team at Ken Campbell Field.
The Senators, winners of four straight to improve to 7-3 on the campaign, smashed five home runs on the afternoon, with two coming in an opening 17-1 victory over the Tornado and three more coming in a 12-2 win in the nightcap, which was shortened to six innings. The opener was played to the completion of seven innings.
In the opener, Xavier Arnette clubbed four hits and drove in a pair of runs in the win, while Alex Bibb had three hits with a double and Mason Streater added two doubles and an RBI in the contest. Brayden Combs and Sam Gardner both hammered round trippers, with Gardner driving in four runs and Combs and Drew Haynie both adding a pair of RBIs for WSCC. Michael Robinson and Parker Stinnett both added RBIs in the contest.
Bubba Hubbard (1-0) picked up the win after allowing just one hit, striking out seven and walking three in four innings of work, while Jack Collins notched a three-inning save by giving up an unearned run, which came in the final inning, on two hits with five strikeouts.
The Senators pushed three runs across in the first inning, four more in the third and five each in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 17-0 lead before the Tornado got their lone tally in the top of the seventh.
Banks Presson, Andre Palacios and Chase Hilliard each had a hit in the loss. Bodhi Baker took the loss after allowing three earned runs on five hits in two innings on the bump.
In the finale, Streater, Silas Butler and Max Reimer each had two hits, with Streater and Reimer both launching a Wilson baseball out of the ball park. Brayden Runion added a long ball, while Streater, Jerry Hammons and Bryce Hodge each had a double in the win. Reimer drove in three runs, while Streater and Butler both added a pair and Hammons, Hodge, Runion and Stinnett each had an RBI in the game.
Drew Vaden (1-0) notched the win after battering two earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in three innings. Andrew Lindsey worked a pair of hitless innings in relief with three strikeouts, and Zebby Matthews allowed a hit in his one inning of action.
The Senators led 5-0 after two innings, but King responded with a two-spot in the top half of the third before WSCC plated four runs in the home half of the frame, another run in the fourth and two runs in the sixth to end the game.
Michael Stanczak notched two hits with a double and drove in both runs in the loss. Trey Reese took the defeat after allowing five earned runs on six hits in two innings of work.
The Senators will remain at home this weekend for a three-game series against Catawba Valley. The Red Hawks come to town for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. before the series closes with a single game on Sunday at noon.