GALLATIN, TN – Kasey Bennett smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the first on Thursday afternoon against No. 13 Chattanooga State in the Region 7/TCCAA Tournament Semifinals, and that was all Tori Coffman needed.

Coffman threw a complete game, allowing just a solo homer, and struck out eight as the fourth-ranked Lady Senators punched their ticket to the Region 7/TCCAA Championship game with a 3-1 win. 

The Lady Senators improved to 51-2 on the season and are one win away from punching their ticket to the NJCAA DI Softball World Series. 

"Winning that game just gives us confidence," Walters State softball coach Larry Sauceman said. "Going into the next day, we'll be full of confidence. We just need to swing the bat a little bit better, and I like our chances." 

Coffman improved to 29-1 with the win and allowed just four hits and pitched her way out of trouble time and time again. 

"Tori has been magnificent all year," Sauceman said. "You can't find them like that. What she has done has been incredible." 

At the plate, Brianna Beech led the way with two hits and a solo homer that gave the Lady Senators some cushion in the fifth inning. Abigail Taylor had two hits as well, while Bennett smacked her two-run homer in the first. 

After a 1-2-3 from Coffman in the top of the first, Kailey Dixon walked to open up the bottom half of the inning. Bennett was next up and gave the Lady Senators huge momentum with her two-run homer off the scoreboard. 

"That was big to get that home run early from Bennett," Sauceman said. 

From there, Coffman pitched her way out of trouble. In the second, she left a runner on second. After a 1-2-3 inning in the third, Chatt State had runners on first and second with one out. However, Coffman got a groundout to third and a strikeout to escape. 

In the top of the fifth, Coffman did it again with a strikeout to end the inning after Chattanooga put runners on the corners with two outs. Beech made them pay in the bottom half of that inning with a solo shot to make it 3-0. 

Chattanooga State finally got on the board in the sixth with a solo homer to make it 3-1, but Coffman settled down and got a flyout to end the inning. 

Needing just three more outs, Coffman got a flyout to open the seventh before putting the tying run at the plate following a walk. But Coffman got two straight strikeouts to end the game. 

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Thursday in the Region 7/TCCAA Championship Game. The Lady Senators need one win to punch their ticket to the NJCAA DI Softball World Series for the first time since 2018. 

First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CT. 

"We're just trying to get one more to get to the National Tournament," Sauceman said. "That's the goal. Maybe tomorrow we'll be able to make that happen. That would just cap off an unbelievable season." 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics