ALBERTSVILLE, AL – Walters State could not have started the season any better on Friday afternoon as they grabbed two wins, a 15-0 shutout of Calhoun Community College in five innings and a 13-1 win over Snead State in five innings.
With the wins, Walters State improved to 2-0 on the season.
GAME ONE: Walters State 15, Calhoun CC 0 (5 Innings)
Ashley Milligan (1-0) picked up right where she left off last season on Friday in the Lady Senators season-opener, throwing four hitless innings as Walters State cruised to the win.
Milligan struck out seven in her four innings of work with her only blemish being a walk in the second inning. Abigayle Holt pitched the final inning, striking out one while not allowing a hit.
Offensively, Walters State totaled 11 hits and 15 runs. Brianna Beech led the way for the Lady Senators at the plate with three hits, including two home runs, and five RBIs. Along with Beech, Sarah King had two hits and drove in three runs while Halle Laramie was 3-3 with five RBIs.
Other contributors for Walters State were Kailey Dixon with two hits and Jules Johnson with a hit and RBI.
The Lady Senators wasted no time getting on the board as Johnson doubled home Dixon three batters in to make it 1-0. Two batters later, Laramie added to the lead with an RBI single and Beech followed it up with a three-run homer to make it 5-0.
Walters State wasn't finished in the first as four more runs came across on a King double with the bases-loaded that saw her eventually score on an error by the right fielder. Laramie capped things off in the first with a two-RBI double that made it 11-0.
The Lady Senators found their way back on the scoreboard in the third as Beech hit her second home run of the day, a two-run blast that gave the Lady Senators a 13-0 lead. The final two runs came in the fifth on a two-RBI double by Laramie.
GAME TWO: Walters State 13, Snead State 1 (5 innings)
After a quiet first game, Kasey Bennett got things going in game number two at the plate as the Lady Senators took another run-rule victory.
Bennett was 3-4 at the plate against Snead State with a home run and five RBIs. The Lady Senators had nine hits in the game as a team.
Along with Bennett, Johnson had two hits and drove in two runs while Laramie had two hits and three RBIs.
Other contributors for the Lady Senators were Beech with a home run and Ava Brooks with a hit.
In the circle, Tori Coffman (1-0) got the start and picked up her first collegiate win with four innings of work. Coffman allowed one unearned run on four hits and struck out seven.
Adrienne Morrison replaced Coffman in the fifth and struck out one in a scoreless inning.
Once again, it was Johnson that got the scoring started with an RBI double in the top of the first that scored King. Bennett was up next and made it 2-0 with an RBI double before Laramie doubled her home to make it 3-0.
In the second, Bennett added two more runs to the lead as she singled home Brooks and Abigail Taylor.
Following a scoreless third, the Lady Senators added five more runs in the fourth to make it 10-0 . Those runs came courtesy of an error on a Laramie single that scored two runs, a Beech two-run homer and a Brooks double that scored Sabrina Fox who reached on an error.
Snead State got on the board with a run in the fourth, but Bennett capped off the day in the top of the fifth with a two-run homer that made it 13-1. The batter before, Johnson, doubled to score Alyssa Wade.
Up Next:
Walters State will be back in action on Saturday for two more games. The Lady Senators will play Southern Union State at 11 a.m. and Marion Military Institute at 4 p.m.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics