MORRISTOWN, TN – Karson Bonaparte and Manning West were close to untouchable on the mound for Walters State on Saturday afternoon.
Taking on No. 16 Chattanooga State, Bonaparte threw a complete game shutout in a 10-0 game one win. In game two, West allowed just two hits and struck out seven in a 7-1 victory over the Tigers.
With the sweep, the Senators improved to 20-8 overall and 6-2 in TCCAA play.
"That was the result of the work we put in all week," Bonaparte said. "Defense played tremendously behind us today. We did our job and defense had our back. That's all we can ask for."
"The expectation was to win, and that's what we came out here and did," West added.
Game One: Walters State 10, No. 16 Chattanooga State 0 (5 Innings)
In game one, Bonaparte (5-1) was his normal self on the mound and the Senators offense scored 10 runs on 10 hits to take the run-rule victory.
Bonaparte threw all five innings, allowing just three hits and striking out five.
"I think I just commanded the pitches well enough that when they did put the ball in play and forced contact, the defense could pick it up," Bonaparte said. "The goal wasn't to strike everyone out but just execute the pitches that were called, and let the defense work behind me."
At the plate, Jack Vogele went a perfect 3-for-3 and drove in three runs. Keaton Ray hit a two-run homer, as well, while Kurtis Reid and Zion Taylor both tripled.
The Senators got the scoring going immediately in the first as Nate Conner scored on a Vogele RBI single. The Senators added three more runs in the second, as Deniel Ortiz walked with the bases loaded to score Ray and Vogele singled home two to make it 4-0.
After a run in third inning on an error that scored Jarrett Martin, Ortiz scored in the fourth on a double play to make it 6-0. The final four runs came in the fifth on a Walker Morgan RBI single, a Ray two-run homer to dead center and a bad throw back to the pitcher that allowed Reid to score the final run.
Game Two: Walters State 7, No. 16 Chattanooga State 1
In game two, Vogele drove in three more runs and West pitched six solid innings to give the Senators the win.
West (3-1) gave up one run on two hits and struck out seven.
"I came out and struggled with my command a little bit," West said. "I found a way to get through it, and the defense picked me up. Once I settled in, I knew I was good. I found my stuff, and the defense continued to work behind me."
Gage Peterson pitched the final inning, not allowing a hit and striking out one. Peterson has allowed just one earned run in his last 13.2 innings of work.
Along with Vogele at the plate, Nate Conner had two hits and scored two runs.
Chatt State got on the board first with a run in the top of the first, but Walters State scored four in the bottom half to take control. Those runs came on a Vogele RBI single, a Martin RBI single, a fielder's choice that scored Vogele and a double steal that scored Martin to make it 4-1.
The Senators increased their lead in the fifth, as an error scored Conner and Zion Taylor doubled home Vogele to make it 6-1. The final run came on a hit by pitch in the sixth with the bases loaded that scored Miles Smith to make it 7-1.
Up Next:
Walters State will be back on Sunday for the series finale against Chattanooga State. It will be a nine-inning game with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
"We just have to flush it and get ready to go again tomorrow," Bonaparte said. "Today is gone and done with, and we just have to reset and come out tomorrow the same way we did today."
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics