MORRISTOWN, TN – Walters State completed an undefeated weekend at home on Sunday afternoon, taking a doubleheader from Patrick & Henry. The Senators won game one, 8-4, and game two, 10-4.
With the sweep, Walters State improved to 13-2 on the season.
"It feels good," Walters State first baseman Corbin Shaw said about the undefeated weekend. "It feels good to be back, and I feel like we have a really good team."
GAME ONE: No. 2 Walters State 8, Patrick & Henry 4
In game one, Walters State scored three in the bottom of the first on their way to the victory.
At the plate, Cooper Torres, Angus Pence, Jarrett Martin and Deniel Ortiz each hit home runs.
On the mound, Jackson Hull (4-0) picked up the win with 4.2 innings of work. Hull allowed one run on two hits while striking out five.
Taz Butler replaced Hull in the fifth with two outs, throwing the final 2.1 innings. Butler allowed three runs on three hits while striking out four.
Things started quick for the Senators as Torres hit his third home run of the season two batters into the game to make it 1-0. Kurtis Reid made it 3-0 four batters later as he doubled in Cole McCallum and Ortiz.
Patrick & Henry cut the lead with a solo homer in the second, but the Senators got the run back in the fourth with a solo home run by Martin. Corbin Shaw then made it 5-1 with a single that scored Caleb Marmo.
"I was just trying to be patient at the plate today and wait on my pitch," Shaw said. "I just waited on them to make a mistake, and I capitalized on it."
In the fifth, Patrick & Henry threatened as they loaded the bases with two outs. Butler entered the game on the mound in replace of Hull and struck the next batter out to get out of the inning.
Building off the momentum, the Senators added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth as Pence hit a solo homer to make it 6-1. Patrick & Henry threatened again in the sixth with a solo home run and RBI single to make it 6-3. The Patriots then loaded the bases with two outs before a flyout to left ended the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, Walters State got the two runs back as Ortiz hit a pitch well over the fence to make it 8-3. Patrick & Henry hit one more solo homer in the seventh, but that was all the Patriots could muster.
GAME TWO: No. 2 Walters State 10, Patrick & Henry 4
In game two, Landon Slemp threw four scoreless innings as the Senators hit three more home runs to end the weekend with a sweep.
Slemp (2-1) got the start on the mound for Walters State and struck out five, including striking out the side in the first inning. Slemp allowed five hits.
"I had good stuff today," Slemp said. "The slider was working and I just trusted myself and trusted what coach was calling. Everything worked out well."
Sunday was Slemp's third start of the season for Walters State as he adapts to a new role. Last year, Slemp was a two-way player for the Senators as he played in the infield and pitched in relief.
"What's been different is just the way I have went about it," Slemp said. "In the summer, I worked really hard. As a starter, I have more time to go into things. Everything is going really well so far."
Karson Bonaparte relieved Slemp in the fifth and gave up three runs before Riley Franklin pitched the final two innings, allowing one run. Franklin struck out two.
At the plate, the Senators got home runs from Shaw, Reid and Torres. McCallum and Shaw each had two hits, as well.
Shaw started the scoring off in the bottom of the first as he singled to score Torres. A fielder's choice made it 2-0 in favor of Walters State.
Following two scoreless innings, Walters State added to their lead in the fourth as Torres smacked a two-run homer to make it 4-0. Following a McCallum walk, Shaw made it 6-0 with his two-run homer.
Following three runs by the Patriots in the top of the fifth to cut the lead in half, the Senators scored two in the bottom of the inning on a double steal and McCallum RBI single. Reid capped off the scoring for Walters State in the sixth with a two-run homer.
Up Next:
Walters State will be back at home for four games next Saturday and Sunday. The Senators will play WVU Potomac State on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Walters State will close out the weekend with two games against USC Sumter on Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
"We just need to have a good solid week of practice and trust our stuff and trust what coach says," Slemp said. "We just need to have good at bats and, on the mound, throw strikes."
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics