UNION, SC – No. 12 Walters State gave up just one run in 14 innings on Tuesday afternoon, taking a doubleheader sweep over USC Union. The Senators won 6-1 in game one and 12-0 in game two.
With the wins, Walters State improved to 13-6 overall.
GAME ONE: No. 12 Walters State 6, USC Union 1
In game one, Walters State had just three hits but managed six runs to take the win.
Deniel Ortiz led the way at the plate for the Senators with a home run and three RBI. Andrew Grande and Nate Conner had the other two hits.
On the mound, Taz Butler (2-0) got the start and threw a hitless inning. Butler struck out two.
Ethan Walker replaced Butler in the second and threw two innings, allowing no hits and striking out one before Walker Morgan threw a clean inning. Tyler Welch, Drew Horn and Rowan Park closed things out, each throwing an inning of relief. Horn struck out two, while Park gave up an unearned run.
Ortiz got the scoring started in the first with a sacrifice fly that scored Miles Smith. Smith added to the lead in the third with a groundout that scored Conner to make it 2-0.
In the fifth, Walters State scored two more runs as Zion Taylor scored on two errors and Grande scored on a wild pitch.
The final two runs for the Senators came in the sixth, as Ortiz hit a two-run homer. USC Union scored one in the seventh, but that was all.
GAME TWO: No. 12 Walters State 12, USC Union 0
In game two, Walters State scored in each of the final four innings to sweep Union.
Ortiz led the way again with four RBI, while Jack Vogele hit a home run, had three hits and drove in a run. Ethan Bosely drove home three runs, as well.
On the mound, Jonny Stevens started and threw two innings, striking out one. Gage Peterson (1-1) replaced Stevens in the third and threw two innings, not allowing a hit and striking out four while picking up the win.
Luke Ferguson then struck out the side in his inning of work before Aiden Robertson and William Wexler closed it out with clean innings.
The two teams remained scoreless until the fourth, when Vogele hit a solo homer to make it 1-0. The Senators added three more in the inning, as Walters State loaded the bases and Bosely cleaned them off with a 3-RBI double.
After Brantley Bamberg singled home two runs in the fifth, Walters State scored two more times in the sixth as Bosely scored on a wild pitch and Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly that scored Kurtis Reid to make it 8-0.
The final four runs came in the seventh, as Smith hit a sacrifice fly and Ortiz doubled home three runs that made it 12-0.
Up Next:
Walters State will open up conference play on Saturday with a nine-inning game at Columbia State. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. ET.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics