MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Walters State bounced back from a disappointing loss in game one on Saturday afternoon to take down Jackson State in game two, 16-15, in walk-off fashion.

After falling 11-4 in game one, the Lady Senators blew a five-run lead in the latter innings of game two. Luckily for them, Sydney Dukes singled home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Dukes was 5-for-5 in the second contest.

"She (Dukes) made a big difference in the game," Larry Sauceman said. "Without her hits, we probably don't win. We just have to get better on the mound and get some people out."

With the split, Walters State moves to 9-7 on the season and 2-4 in TCCAA play.

The Lady Senators struggled to hit in game one. Kallyn Newport got the scoring going for Walters State in the first with a solo home run. Walters State scored once again in the fourth as Dukes knocked in a run and two in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Newport and a single from Reagan Miller.

"I don't know what happened, but we're getting away from ourselves," Sauceman said. "We started the year off well, but here lately it's just been tough. We just have to get better."

Both offenses got going early in game two with Jackson State scoring three in the top of the first. Walters State answered back in the bottom of the inning with a run off a single from Macey Hefner that made it 3-1.

The Lady Green Jays scored two more in the top of the second, but the Lady Senators hit them back again. After a single and walk to start the inning, Dukes unloaded on a ball, sending it well over the fence in right to make it 5-4.

After two more runs in the top of third again for the Lady Green Jays, Olivia Wheeler made it a three-run game with a solo homer to right. Jackson State once again scored two in the fourth, but the Lady Senators got the lead back down to one with RBIs from Hefner, Jessica Odom and Kaitlyn Harper.

The Lady Senators were finally able to keep Jackson State scoreless for the first time in the top of the fifth, and Hefner made them pay, hitting her second home run of the game over the fence in left to put Walters State up 11-9.

Hayley Parrott kept it going with a home run of her own to make it 12-9.  Jenica Brown continued the scoring with a two-out, two-RBI triple to make it 14-9. After four runs in the sixth from Jackson State, the Lady Senators added a run on a wild pitch to make it 15-13.

However, the lead would not hold as Jackson State tied the game with two outs in the seventh. Dukes saved the pitching staff though, walking off in the bottom of the inning.

Morgan Riffle started both games in the circle for the Lady Senators. In game one, Riffle gave up four earned runs on five hits and walked three.

Kenna Kap replaced Riffle in both games as well. In game one, Kap pitched 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits.

"We're just not able to get them out," Sauceman said. "They're just knocking the cover off the ball. They had a lot of hits out there, and we just couldn't stop them."

NEXT UP

Walters State will be back in action on Sunday, taking on Jackson State again in another doubleheader. First pitch for game one is scheduled for noon with game two starting 30 minutes after the end of game one.

"Hopefully we'll be able to figure out how to get them out," Sauceman said. "We can score runs. We just need to hold them."