YOUNG HARRIS, GA – No. 2 Walters State totaled 32 hits and 24 runs on Monday afternoon while limiting the Young Harris JV squad to 13 hits and four runs as the Senators swept the Mountain Lions 12-2 in both games.
With the sweep, Walters State improves to 44-2 on the season.
NO. 2 WALTERS STATE 12, YOUNG HARRIS (JV) 2
It was a strong start to the doubleheader for the Senators as they scored eight runs in the first three innings of the contest.
At the plate, Walters State was led by Nick Block and Jerry Hammons. Block was 4-for-4 in the contest with three RBIs while Hammons was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a home run. Corbin Shaw also hit a home run in the game.
It was Hammons who set the tone early for Walters State with a solo home run in the top of the first. Hammons is now hitting .438 on the season with 20 home runs, which is tied for first in the NJCAA, and 65 RBIs, which ranks him second in the country.
Young Harris would tie the game in the bottom of the inning, but Walters State broke through for two more in the second when Silas Butler hit a sacrifice fly and Caleb McNeely singled in Lukas Cook.
In the third, the Senators scored five more runs. Block opened up the scoring in the inning with a two RBI single before Butler hit his second sacrifice fly of the game. Then, it was Hammons again as he hit a two RBI single that scored Cook and Block and made it 8-1.
Block added another run in the fourth with an RBI single before Shaw hit a two-run home run in the fifth. The scoring concluded in the seventh when Dalton McLain doubled home Butler.
On the mound, Matt Dailey got the start and improved his record to 3-0. Dailey threw five innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out nine. Skyler Cannady came in and finished the game out with two innings of work. He allowed one run on three hits.
NO. 2 WALTERS STATE 12 YOUNG HARRIS (JV) 2
In game two, Walters State picked up right where they left off as they had 15 hits in the contest.
This time, it was Alberto Osuna who led the way at the plate for Walters State as he was 3-for-3 with five RBIs and a home run. Osuna is now hitting .483 with 20 home runs, which ties him for first in the nation with Hammons, and 79 RBIs, which puts him in first in the nation by 14 RBIs. Osuna is now just 13 RBIs away from tying the program record for runs batted in which was set by Ross Grosvenor and Ramon Osuna, Alberto's brother.
Along with Osuna, Cannady was 3-for-3 in the contest.
Osuna started the scoring in game two in the top of the first as he doubled in Hammons. Like game one, Young Harris would tie the game in the bottom of the first. Walters State once again responded though, scoring three in the third when Ellis reached on an error that scored Cannady and Osuna hit a two-run home run.
In the fourth, Walters State used some savvy baserunning to add another run as a double steal allowed Block to score. After Osuna made it 6-2 on a sacrifice fly, Walters State added five more in the sixth. First, Butler scored on an error by the catcher. Then, McNeely doubled in Cannady before Osuna doubled him home. After Shaw singled in a run, Andrew Ott got in on the fun with a single that scored Shaw.
Cam Fisher closed the scoring out with an RBI single. Not to be outdone by Hammons and Osuna, Fisher is hitting .341 on the season with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs.
Blake Cooper picked up his first win of the season on the mound for the Senators as he threw four innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out nine. Brayden Matthews picked up his first save of the year with three innings of work after Cooper. Matthews allowed just one hit and struck out five.
UP NEXT:
Walters State will be back in action on Tuesday as they travel to take on Cleveland Community College in Forest City, NC. The doubleheader is set to begin 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