COLUMBUS, GA – No. 5 Walters State played three games at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday, falling 16-4 to Seminole State and 15-0 to No. 1 Indian River State but finishing the day with a 12-4 win over Pearl River.
The Lady Senators moved to 9-6 on the season with the results.
GAME ONE: Seminole State 16, No. 5 Walters State 4
In game one of the day, the Lady Senators were tied at four heading to the seventh inning before the Seminole State bats caught fire.
At the plate, Abbie Young and Kendal Mason each homered. Addison Beech and Randi Delong drove in the other two runs and both had doubles.
In the circle, Alayna Ross got the start and threw 2.2 innings. Ross allowed two runs on three hits and struck out four. Makayla Ramsey replaced Ross with two outs in the third and threw the next 3.1 innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits while striking out two. Emma Myatt got the final three outs in the seventh inning, allowing nine runs on seven hits.
The Lady Senators opened the scoring in the game, as Mason hit one over the fence in left to give Walters State a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first. Seminole State struck back with two runs in the top of the second, but Young tied the game with a solo shot in the bottom half of the inning.
Following two runs in the fifth by Seminole State, Walters State tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as Beech doubled in Olivia Neese and Delong doubled with two outs to score Beech and make it 4-4.
Unfortunately, Seminole State scored 12 runs in the seventh and took the win.
GAME TWO: No. 1 Indian River State 15, No. 5 Walters State 0 (5 Innings)
In game two of the day, the top-ranked team in the country got up early and the Lady Senators were not able to recover.
At the plate, Mason and Imari Golden had Walters State's two hits.
In the circle, Myatt got the start and threw two innings. Myatt allowed eight runs, four earned, on five hits and struck out one. After Makayla Ramsey got an out, allowing five runs on four hits, Lauren Ruehl pitched the final 1.2 innings. Ruehl allowed two runs on three hits.
GAME THREE: No. 5 Walters State 12, Pearl River 4 (5 Innings)
In game three of the day, Walters State scored six runs in the third inning and were off from there to pick up the five-inning win.
At the plate, Delong hit a grand slam and had five RBIs. Mason and Ross homered, as well, while Ruehl had three hits and two RBIs.
Ruehl got the start in the circle for the Lady Senators and threw a complete game. Ruehl gave up four runs, three earned, on five hits and struck out two.
After two scoreless innings to start, the Lady Senators got on the board in a big way in the third. Walters State loaded the bases thanks to an error and back-to-back singles by Beech and Mason, and Delong drove them all in with a grand slam. The Lady Senators added two more runs in the inning when Ruehl doubled home Ross and Young to make it 6-0.
Pearl River scored a run in the third, but Mason hit a solo home run and Ross smacked a two-run home run in the fourth to make it 9-1. The Lady Senators added three more in the fifth to make it 12-1, as Delong scored a run, Ross doubled home a run and Emma Keck singled home Ross.
Pearl River scored three in the fifth but it was too little, too late.
Up Next:
Walters State will play two more games in the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday, taking on North Dakota State College of Science at 10 am and Gulf Coast State at 12:30 pm.