FOREST CITY, NC – No. 2 Walters State needed extra innings in game one and a rally in the top of the seventh in game two to squeak past Cleveland Community College on Tuesday afternoon, 2-1 and 8-3.
With the sweep, Walters State improves to 46-2 on the season.
NO. 2 WALTERS STATE 2, CLEVELAND CC 1 (8 INNINGS)
Walters State got off to a strong start in game one with one run in the first inning. However, it would take them seven innings to replicate that success as they scored one run in the top of the eighth to take home a one-run victory.
While the Senators were having trouble driving in runs, Peyton Calitri held down the fort on the mound. Calitri upped his record to 4-0 as he threw seven innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out four. Joey Mitchell got his first save of the season with a scoreless eighth inning. Mitchell struck out one.
At the plate, Caleb McNeely, Cam Fisher, Lukas Cook and Silas Butler led the way, all with two hits. Fisher and Butler knocked in the two runs in the contest.
Fisher got the scoring going in the top of the first as he doubled to center field, scoring Matthew Ellis. Cleveland tied the game in the fourth and had a chance in the sixth to take the lead after a double that sent the go-ahead run heading for home. However, Cook took a relay throw from Osuna and fired it home for the final out of the inning.
After a scoreless seventh sent the game to extras, Nick Block got things going with a single. Block advanced to second on a balk and, with two outs, scored when Butler singled him home. Mitchell would close it out in the bottom half of the inning.
NO. 2 WALTERS STATE 8, CLEVELAND CC 3
After struggling to score yet again, the Senators finally broke through in the top of the seventh inning, breaking a 3-3 tie with five runs.
In the seventh, Fisher got the scoring going with a single that brought home Declan Wiesner. Then, Noah Gent added two more insurance runs when he doubled home Fisher and Alberto Osuna. Gent would score on a wild pitch before Block singled in Butler.
At the plate, Fisher and Andrew Ott led the way with two hits each while Gent knocked in two runs. Walters State had 10 hits in the game.
Ellis got the scoring going for the Senators in the contest with a double in the first that scored McNeely. Then, Osuna made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. Butler added a third run in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly.
However, Cleveland answered back and tied the game in the sixth and had a chance to take the lead with runners on second and third and nobody out. Walters State held strong though as they got a groundout to Cook for the first out before another groundball to Cook saw him throw the ball home for the second out. Cook got them out of the inning with a line drive out for the third out.
Robbie Yates got the start on the mound for Walters State, throwing four innings. Yates allowed two runs, both unearned, on three hits while striking out two. Jacquez Gillespie-Taylor replaced him in the fifth and threw an inning before Drew Honeycut replaced him when he found trouble in the sixth. Honeycut picked up his first win of the season, throwing two scoreless innings.
HARD WORK PAYING OFF
Walters State is seeing their hard work pay off in the national rankings.
The Senators remained at No. 2 this week in the NJCAA poll released on Monday. It was their second week in a row ranked in the No. 2 spot.
On Tuesday, the Senators were named the No. 1 team in the country by Perfect Game as well as the JBB poll.
UP NEXT
Walters State will be back in action on Thursday as they take on Roane State at home in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics