Top-ranked Senators put together complete performance in sweep of Cleveland State

MORRISTOWN, TN – No.1 Walters State put together an all-around, complete series over the weekend against Cleveland State, capping it off with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. The Senators took a 16-1 win over the Cougars in game one before closing things out with a 7-1 win in game two. 

With the sweep, the Senators improved to 41-6 on the season and 17-3 in TCCAA play. 

"It feels good," Walters State outfielder Preston Wright said. "We like to come in with a lot of confidence. This series was crucial with a few teams close behind us in the conference. We did what we needed to do and got it done." 

The series was especially huge for the Senators pitching staff, as they gave up just four runs over three games and struck out 23 batters. 

For the hitters, the stress at the plate shrinks significantly when the pitching staff is on point like they were this weekend. 

"It's astronomical," Wright said about the comfort at the plate. "It's so nice to get a zero and come in and put up some runs and then go get another zero."

"There's no pressure to have to put runs up when we know that our pitchers have us," Walters State catcher Jarrett Martin added. "I think everybody that went out there had everything working this weekend. They were locating well, attacking the hitters and getting the job done. Defense played well behind them, too." 

GAME ONE: No.1 Walters State 16, Cleveland State 1 (5 Innings)

In game one, the Senators scored six runs in both the second and fourth innings and got a complete game from Brayden Matthews on the mound as they took the win.

Matthews gave up a solo homer to the second batter of the game but settled down and picked up his fifth win of the season. Matthews gave up six hits in his five innings of work and struck out five. 

At the plate, Cole McCallum had three hits and drove in four runs while Preston Wright and Angus Pence each homered. 

For Wright, Saturday's games were his first two starts in conference play and he made the most of them with four hits. 

"I knew they were throwing a lot of lefties, so I just tried to stay in and go oppo and react in," Wright said. "I just tried not to do too much and let the guys behind me drive me in." 

After Cleveland jumped on the board first with their solo homer in the top of the first, the Senators immediately took the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Cooper Torres scored on a passed ball and Corbin Shaw drove in McCallum with a sacrifice fly. 

In the second, the Senators broke the game open with six runs. The first two runs came on back-to-back bases loaded walks before McCallum drove three in with an RBI single to make it 7-1. The final run of the inning came on a Kruise Newman single that scored McCallum.

The Senators added two more in the third on a two-run homer by Pence and then scored six more in the fourth to close things out. Those runs came on an RBI single by Jarrett Martin, a two-run homer from Wright and a two-RBI double by McCallum.

GAME TWO: No.1 Walters State 7, Cleveland State 1

In game two, the Senators hit four home runs as they closed out the sweep.

Martin led the way at the plate in the game with two home runs and five RBIs. Since March 11, Martin has hit nine home runs and driven in 31 runs. 

"I have been more on my backside, been loading a little better," Martin said. "I've just been seeing the ball better and have been getting good pitches to hit and have put good swings on them." 

Along with Martin, Pence and McCallum each homered while Wright picked up two more hits.

On the mound, Blake Cooper (6-1) got the start and threw five innings. Cooper allowed one run on two hits and struck out five.

In the sixth, Karson Bonaparte replaced Cooper and pitched the final two innings. Five of the six outs Bonaparte recorded were via the strikeout. 

Once again, it was Cleveland State that got on the board first with a solo homer in the second. However, the Senators again took the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Martin cracked a two-run homer.

In the third, McCallum made it 3-1 with a solo shot before Martin hit his second of the game. Martin's was a three-run homer and made it 6-1.

The final run for the Senators came in the fourth inning as Pence smacked his second homer of the day.

Up Next:

The Senators have nine games remaining on the schedule, with two against Young Harris JV coming up on the road Monday. The Senators will then go to Dyersburg over the weekend before playing four at home to close out the regular season.

"Coach Shelton said it in the meeting that this is just the beginning," Wright said. "We can't go down. We have nine more regular season games. We're ready and locked in. We're just really motivated." 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics