No. 1 Walters State takes game one of NJCAA Appalachian District Series 11-1 over No. 16 Georgia Highlands

MORRISTOWN, TN – Walker Morgan set the tone on the mound for No. 1 Walters State on Wednesday afternoon in the NJCAA Appalachian District Series opener against No. 16 Georgia Highlands, and his offense did the rest.

Morgan threw five innings, allowing just one run on five hits, and struck out a season-high seven, and the Senators had 11 runs on 11 hits as they picked up an 11-1 win over the Chargers in five innings. 

With the win, the Senators improved to 54-6-1 on the season and are one win away from the NJCAA World Series.

"We were just able to come out here and play the way Walters State baseball has always been played," Morgan said. "It's good to be back in one of these games, we haven't been back here in a few years. It felt good to get out there and win handily." 

Morgan ran into a bit of trouble to start the game, loading the bases with one out in the first. However, Morgan got a pop out to first and a strikeout to get out of the jam. From there, Morgan was efficient and didn't let the Chargers back into the game. 

"I just felt a little funky to those three batters but was able to settle into my legs a bit and fill up the zone," Morgan said. "That was a huge momentum boost for our guys, and we came back in and scored three. I was ready to go after that." 

Coming into the game, Georgia Highlands was second in the country in home runs, just behind Walters State. However, Morgan not only held them without a home run, but without an extra-base hit.

"I was able to throw my changeup and breaking ball really well," Morgan said. "The fastball played really well today too. I just tried to mix those three pitches, locate well and keep them off guard." 

At the plate for Walters State in the game, Jack Vogele mashed a three-run homer and drove in four runs while Holden Pantier, Jack Torbett and Taylor Harris each collected two hits. Harris drove in two runs, as well. 

After Morgan got out of the jam in the first, the Senators got after Georgia Highlands pitcher Max Eichenberger who came into the game with a 10-0 record. Kole Fenton led things off with a hit by pitch and moved to third on a single by Nate Conner. Vogele drove in the first run of the game with a groundout, and Pantier made it 2-0 with an RBI double. Carson Cabbage was next up, and he singled in Pantier to make it 3-0.

The Senators struck again in the second when Torbett singled, and Conner scored him with a two-out double to make it 4-0. Georgia Highlands got a run in the third, but the Senators rallied in the fourth. After Fenton reached on a fielder's choice and Conner was hit by a pitch, Vogele blasted the first pitch he saw off the batter's eye in center to make it 7-1.

From there, Walters State closed things out with four runs in the fifth. Those runs came on a Torbett RBI single, a Harris two-RBI double and a Fenton RBI single that enforced the run-rule at 11-1. 

"It doesn't hurt when the offense hits like that," Morgan said. "It helps me to go after the hitter and not worry about picking around the zone." 

Up Next:

Walters State and Georgia Highlands will play again on Thursday at Ken Campbell Field. First pitch is set for 1 pm ET.