MORRISTOWN, TN – Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.

And, in No. 2 Walters State's case, they had a lot of big-time players on Saturday afternoon.

First, it was Jake Knapp who got the start on the mound for the Senators and gave them 5.2 innings of solid baseball.

Then, it was Nathan Hickman who managed to work his way out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning that kept the game tied at two.

And last, but certainly not least, it was Matthew Ellis who hit what proved to be the game winning home run in the bottom of the eighth. That gave Walters State a 3-2 lead and win over Cleveland State in the deciding game three of the TCCAA/Region VII Tournament first round.

"It means a lot," Ellis said. "We've been working hard all season and really deserved to move on. I am excited to see where we go."

With the win, Walters State advances to the TCCAA/Region VII four-team championship in Gallatin, TN beginning on May 9.

For Ellis, he was down two strikes in the count before lacing a ball over the fence in left field that gave the Senators the lead in a game where they had struggled to get anything going offensively.

"I didn't know it was gone off the bat, but I had been out in front earlier in the game, so I was just trying to wait on something. I got the pitch I could hit and did well with it," Ellis said.

Knapp got the start on the mound for Walters State and was excellent with 5.2 innings of work, allowing two runs on one hit while striking out seven.

Hickman replaced him with two outs in the sixth and picked up the win with 3.1 innings of work. Hickman allowed no runs on three hits while striking out five.

"Today was a big game and they could have come out nervous, but they came out and threw a lot of strikes and did well," Ellis said. "I think everybody was proud of them."

It was a back-and-forth game throughout as neither team was able to break away. Cleveland State got the scoring going first in the top of the first as they scored on a sacrifice fly. It could have been worse for the Senators, but Cam Fisher reached over the fence to bring the ball back in and prevent a three-run home run.

Walters State wouldn't wait long to tie the game as Lukas Cook scored Fisher on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second. Walters State would then take the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Jerry Hammons doubled home Caleb McNeely with two outs.

But this time, it would be Cleveland who answered back in the sixth as they doubled home a run. The go-ahead run tried to score on the same play but was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied at two.

Cleveland State looked to strike again in the top of the seventh as they had runners on second and third with one out. After Hickman struck out one for the second out, he hit a batter to load the bases. However, Hickman settled down and struck out Tate Daniels to keep it all knotted at two.

"My nerves kind of got me at first," Hickman said. "But once I got settled down, it was just me and Ellis. I was just seeing the mitt. I was just really focused on trying to fire the ball into the mitt."

After a one-two-three inning in the top of the eighth, Hammons was retired for the first out of the bottom half of the inning. Then, with two strikes, Ellis got a hold of one that cleared the fence, inciting a fist pump heading around the bases and a team celebration at home plate.

"I was just hoping we could get three outs (what he was thinking rounding the bases)," Ellis said. "They have been playing well all weekend and that was the best baseball they had played all season. So, it was nice to get those final three outs."

Those three outs would not come without stress though. Hickman set the first two batters down with a groundout to the mound and strikeout. With two outs, Cleveland State's J.D. 

Day hit a ball to the wall in right field. But Nick Block was there to make the catch and record the final out.

"Off the bat, I thought he hit it out," Hickman said. "But then I saw Block back there and figured he would rob it even if he did hit it out, so I was fine with it."

Walters State will now have a week off before heading to Gallatin for the four-team championship. That is set to begin on Sunday, May 9.

"It's going to get a lot tougher from here, but we just have to keep that same energy up from the team is one thing we can really do," Ellis said. "That's going to help us the rest of the way. I think energy keeping up and everybody just staying where they're at. We have a good group of guys, and we have done well all season. We just have to keep it up."  

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics