GALLATIN, TN – Olivia Wheeler drilled a solo home run in extra innings on Tuesday evening against Dyersburg to keep the Lady Senators season alive in the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Finals with a 5-4 victory. However, Walters State could not replicate that in their second game of the night, falling to Vol State 13-3 to end the season.
Walters State finishes the season with a 21-14 record and a third-place finish in the TCCAA Tournament.
WALTERS STATE 5, DYERSBURG STATE 4 (8 INNINGS)
In their opening game of the day, Walters State overcame an early 3-0 deficit to take down Dyersburg in eight innings.
Walters State was led in the game by Wheeler who, along with her go-ahead home run in the eighth, had four hits and three RBIs. Along with Wheeler, Jessica Campbell had two hits and scored two runs.
It was Dyersburg who got off to a quick start as they scored three runs in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Walters State finally got on the board in the third when Lauren Brickey grounded out but scored Campbell. However, Dyersburg answered in the bottom half of the inning with a run to make it 4-1.
With their back against the wall, the Lady Senators struck in the fourth with three runs to tie the contest. First, Jessica Odom singled in Sydney Dukes to make it 4-2. Wheeler then tied the game just a few batters later as she singled home Campbell and Odom.
From there, the two teams traded scoreless innings. Walters State had a chance in the top of the seventh to break the tie with the bases loaded and nobody out but couldn't push a run across.
In extra innings, Wheeler wasted no time giving Walters State the lead as she led off the top of the eighth with a solo shot. In the bottom half of the inning, Dyersburg sent the tying run to the plate on a base hit to center, but Campbell gunned the runner out at the plate to preserve the lead.
Allison Chandler picked up the win in the contest as she threw 5.2 innings, allowing no runs on four hits. Brickey also pitched in the game, going 2.1 innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits while striking out two.
VOLUNTEER STATE 13, WALTERS STATE 3
In the nightcap, Walters State could not keep the momentum going as they fell to the host Lady Pioneers.
At the plate, Kasey Bennett and Campbell led the way with two hits each. Bennett, Kallyn Newport and Hayley Parrott each knocked in runs for the Lady Senators.
In the circle, Chandler pitched 2.1 innings, allowing eight runs, six earned, on eight hits. Brickey pitched as well, going 2.2 innings and allowing five runs on six hits.
Vol State started the scoring off in the contest as they hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first. Walters State would answer in the bottom half of the inning with a run as Newport grounded out, scoring Wheeler.
Walters State would get on the board again in the third when Parrott singled in Bennett to make it a 5-2 game. However, Vol State added four more in the top of the fourth before Bennett doubled home Campbell in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-3. Vol State added four more in the fifth to invoke the run-rule.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics