SPARTANBURG, SC – Offense, offense and more offense. 

The Walters State softball team wasted no time making their presence felt in their season opening doubleheader against Spartanburg Methodist, sweeping the Pioneers with a 20-4 win and 12-3 victory.  

With the wins, Walters State improves to 2-0 on the season.  

WALTERS STATE 20, SPARTANBURG METHODIST 4 

It was an offensive explosion in game one of the doubleheader as Walters State put up 20 runs on 20 hits.  

All nine starters recorded hits for Walters State with six having multi-hit games. Kallyn Newport led the way with three hits and six RBIs. Newport tripled and hit her first home run of the year. 

Along with Newport, Hanna Taylor went 4-4 with two RBIs while Jenica Brown had three hits and two RBIs. Kaitlyn Harper also drove in three runs.  

After a scoreless first inning for Walters State, the scoring started in the top of the second with Kasey Bennett stealing home, Harper producing a sacrifice fly that scored Lauren Brickey, Brown singling home Taylor with a bunt single and Newport singling on a pop fly that scored Jessica Odom.  

Walters State added another run in the third when Olivia Wheeler hit her first home run of the season, a solo shot down the left field line that made it 5-2. Spartanburg Methodist answered in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-3, but the Lady Senators responded in the form of 10 runs. The inning was capped off by back-to-back home runs by Newport, a three-run shot, and Sydney Dukes with a solo home run.  

Walters State capped the game off with five runs in the fifth that ended when Newport tripled home two runs.  

In the circle for the Lady Senators, Hannah Robinson got the start and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits while striking out four. Robinson picked up her first win of the season.  

Allison Chandler replaced Robinson with one out in the fourth and threw 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out one.  

WALTERS STATE 12, SPARTANBURG METHODIST 3  

The offensive outburst continued in game two for the Lady Senators who scored 12 runs on 12 hits.  

It was Newport and Dukes again who led Walters State at the plate. Newport had two hits and knocked in a run while also scoring two runs. Dukes, on the other hand, had two hits and drove in three runs. Not to be outdone, Hayley Parrott hit her first home run of the season and drove in three runs.  

The scoring started for the Lady Senators right off the bat as Dukes singled home a run, Wheeler walked with the bases loaded, Harper grounded into a fielders choice that scored Dukes and Odom hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning.  

Walters State added another run in the second on a Bennett sacrifice fly that scored Brown. In the third, the Lady Senators loaded the bases and Newport scored Odom on a walk before Dukes doubled home two runs. Walters State closed out the inning with a Bennett single that scored Newport. 

In the fourth, Parrott capped off the scoring with a three-run home run to left field.  

Lauren Brickey made her first start in two years on the mound for the Lady Senators and pitched a complete game. Brickey allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out four.  

UP NEXT: 

The Lady Senators will be back in action next Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Snead State. Walters State will play a double-header with the first game starting at 2 p.m.  

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics