JACKSON, TN – No. 16 Walters State won their 11th and 12th games in a row on Sunday afternoon, taking a doubleheader over Jackson State. The Senators won 5-2 in game one and 12-2 in five innings in game two.
With the sweep, Walters State improved to 25-8 overall and 10-2 in TCCAA play.
GAME ONE: No. 16 Walters State 5, Jackson State 2
In game one, the Senators collected 11 hits and took the win.
Jack Vogele led the way for Walters State in the game with two hits and two RBI, while Deniel Ortiz and Jarrett Martin each had two hits and an RBI.
On the mound, Manning West (5-0) got the start and threw 4.1 innings. West allowed two runs on four hits and struck out three. Gage Peterson (Sv. 1) replaced West with an out in the fifth and pitched the final 2.2 innings. Peterson gave up no runs on two hits and struck out two.
The Senators got the scoring going with two runs in the first on RBI singles by Vogele and Martin. That's where the score remained until the top of the fifth, when Martin had his second RBI single of the day to make it 3-0.
However, Jackson State cut the lead to one in the bottom of the fifth with two runs. Needing a response, the Senators got it in the sixth on an Ortiz RBI double. Vogele was the next batter, and he grounded out but scored Miles Smith to make it 5-2.
From there, Peterson closed things out to secure the win.
GAME TWO: No. 16 Walters State 12, Jackson State 2 (5 Innings)
In game two, Ortiz drove in four more runs as the Senators completed the sweep.
Ortiz had three hits, one being a two-run homer, and four RBI while Vogele and Kurtis Reid each drove in two runs.
On the mound, Taz Butler (5-0) got the start and threw four innings. Butler gave up two runs on two hits and struck out four. Jonny Stevens replaced Butler in the fifth and threw one scoreless inning to close things out. Stevens struck out one.
Walters State got on the board first in game two, as Walker Morgan smacked a solo homer in the top of the second. However, Jackson State took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer.
Looking to respond, Walters State did with eight runs in the top of the fourth. Those runs came on a double steal that scored Martin, two bases loaded walks, an Ortiz two-RBI double, a Vogele two-RBI double and a Logen Sutton sacrifice fly that scored Vogele and made it 9-2.
Walters State's final three runs came in the fifth, as Reid doubled home Morgan and Ortiz smashed a two-run homer that made it 12-2.
Up Next:
Walters State will be back in action next Thursday at Southwest Tennessee. The nine-inning contest is set to begin at 4 p.m. ET.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics