MARIANNA, FL – No. 17 Walters State picked up two wins on Friday afternoon, capturing a wild 12-10 victory over Chipola before defeating Southern Union State 8-2 in the second game.
With the wins, the Senators improved to 8-0-1 on the season.
GAME ONE: No. 17 Walters State 12, No. 12 Chipola 10
In game one of the day, Walters State overcame 6-0 and 10-6 deficits to pull out a wild 12-10 victory over Chipola.
The Senators got down six runs through the first two innings but got two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and three in the top of the sixth to tie the game. Chipola countered with a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to go back up 10-6 and needed just three outs to take the win. However, Walters State scored six runs in the top of the seventh and got the final three outs to pull off the victory.
The Senators had 18 hits in the game, with Tyler Myatt leading the charge with a perfect 4-4 game. Myatt had an RBI as well, while Taylor Harris hit a home run. Four Senators had two RBIs apiece, and they were Jack Vogele, Brantley Bamberg, Carson Cabbage and Kole Fenton.
On the mound, Walker Morgan got the start and gave up five runs on three hits. Morgan was replaced in the first by Tyler Peterson, who threw the next two innings. Peterson gave up one run on two hits.
Replacing Peterson in the third was Ryan Smith, and he pitched a clean inning as did Ryder Moye in the fourth. Lorenzo Atwell was in charge of the fifth inning and worked out of a bases-loaded jam. After Brady Scott started the sixth inning, giving up four runs on three hits, Andrew Moore (1-0) replaced him and gave up just one hit while getting out of the inning.
In the seventh, Rowan Park was called upon to close out the game and did so, striking out one and picking up his first save of the season.
After Chipola's five runs in the first and one in the second, the Senators cut into the lead in the fourth as Myatt doubled home Bamberg and Cabbage grounded out but scored Holden Pantier to make it 6-2.
Following a solo home run to center for Harris in the fifth to cut it to 6-3, the Senators found trouble in the bottom half as Atwell loaded the bases with no outs. But Atwell got out of things, getting a 3-2-3 double play and a strikeout.
Going off that momentum in the sixth, Myatt led off the inning with a double. Following a Cabbage single, Fenton bunted for a single that scored Myatt to make it 6-4. Jack Torbett was next up, and he bunted for a single as well to load the bases. Following a strikeout for the first out, Nate Conner made it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly. Vogele was next up for the Senators, and he tied the game at six with an RBI single.
However, Chipola quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a grand slam. Needing to rally again, Pantier and Myatt both singled to lead off the seventh. After Cabbage doubled home Pantier to make it 10-7, Fenton singled to score Myatt and cut it to 10-8. Torbett was next up and again bunted for a single to load the bases. Chipola got a strikeout for the first out but a passed ball scored Cabbage to make it a one-run game. Conner then walked to reload the bases, and Vogele tied the game at 10 with an RBI groundout.
That brought up Bamberg, and he worked the count before singling into left-center, scoring two runs to give Walters State their first lead of the game.
In the bottom of the seventh, Park worked around a two-out walk as he got a groundout to third to end the game.
GAME TWO: No. 17 Walters State 8, Southern Union State 2
In game two, the Senators scored four in the first inning and went on for the win.
Tyler Welch (2-0) got the start on the mound for Walters State and threw 4.2 innings. Welch struck out seven while allowing two unearned runs on three hits. Mason Trucks pitched the final 2.1 innings for the Senators, allowing one hit and striking out one.
At the plate, Harris hit his fifth home run of the season, while Myatt drilled a solo home run. Kenny Cox and Morgan drove in two runs each, as well.
Following a scoreless top of the first, Harris led things off in the bottom half with a solo home run. Conner and Vogele followed that up with back-to-back singles, before Conner scored on an error to make it 2-0. After a groundout by Pantier that scored Vogele, Myatt made it 4-0 with his solo home run.
Southern Union cut into the lead with a run in the second, but Morgan upped the Senators lead to 6-1 in the bottom half of the inning with a two-RBI double. Southern Union got one more run in the top of the fifth, but Cox scored the Senators' final two runs in the bottom of the fifth with a double that drove in Myatt and Pantier.
Up Next:
Walters State will be back in action again on Saturday against No. 12 Chipola and Southern Union State. The Senators will play Chipola at 11 am ET and Southern Union State at 1:30 pm ET.