SPARTANBURG, SC – Walters State scored nine runs in extra innings of game one on Tuesday afternoon against Spartanburg Methodist on their way to a 17-9 and 16-6 sweep.

With the sweep, Walters State moved to 14-4 on the season. 

GAME ONE: Walters State 17, Spartanburg Methodist 9 (8 innings) 

In game one against the Lady Pioneers, Walters State's Halle Laramie hit a pinch-hit home run in the top of the seventh to tie the game, and the Lady Senators would go on to score nine runs in the top of the eighth to cruise to victory. 

In the deciding eighth inning, with the score tied 8-8 and Jessica Campbell starting the inning on second base, Tatum Dye led things off by hitting a ball off the wall to score Campbell and give the Lady Senators the lead.

Following Dye's hit, Brianna Beech scored her with a line drive past first base. After Jessica Odom singled, Maggie Johnson made it 12-8 by scoring both Beech and Odom with a ball off the wall. Ava Brooks made it 14-8 soon after with her second home run of the day, and Campbell followed suit two batters later with her own two-run homer. 

The final run of the inning came when Beech singled home Dye to make it 17-8. Spartanburg Methodist would score one in the bottom of the eighth but that was all. 

The scoring for Walters State started just three batters into game one as Bennett hit a solo home run to give them a 1-0 lead. Kaitlyn Harper followed that up in the second inning with her own solo home run to make it a two-run lead. Brooks was the next batter and hit her first homer of the day, and it was 3-0.

In the third, Beech quickly made it 5-0 with a two-run homer. The Lady Senators scored one more in the inning when Brooks scored Harper. 

However, the Lady Pioneers fought back with five runs in the bottom of the third to make it a one-run game. Spartanburg Methodist then followed it up with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-6 lead. 

The Lady Senators didn't back down though, and Ashlyn Gaines tied the game with a single that scored Harper. Spartanburg took back the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a run, but Laramie led off the seventh with a pinch-hit homer to tie the game before the Lady Senators big eighth inning. 

In total, the Lady Senators hit seven home runs in the game. Brooks led the way with five hits, two home runs, and knocked in four runs. Beech wasn't far behind with four hits and drove in four runs. 

In the circle, Abigayle Holt got the start and went four innings, allowing seven runs, six earned on 10 hits. 

Allison Chandler replaced Holt in the fifth and threw the final four innings, allowing just one run on four hits and picking up the win. 

Game Two: Walters State 16, Spartanburg Methodist 6 (6 Innings) 

In game two, the Lady Senators scored 10 runs in the third inning on their way to the six-inning victory.

For the second straight game, the Lady Senators scored in the first inning to take an early lead. This time, it was Brooks who continued her impressive day with a base hit that scored Dye. 

Spartanburg would show fight in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run that gave them the lead. 

However, any hope of stealing a win was put to bed as the Lady Senators exploded for 10 runs in the top of the third. Dye got the scoring going in the inning by scoring Campbell. Dye scored two batters later as Brooks brought home another run to give Walters State a 3-2 lead. 

The scoring would continue from there for Walters State as they tacked on eight more runs. After Beech scored Dye, Sarah King pinch hit with the bases loaded and cleared the bases with a hit into the gap. Campbell scored King with a ground ball before Bennett smacked her second home run of the day, a three-run shot to make it 11-2. 

Spartanburg Methodist closed the gap to 11-6 in the next two innings before Walters State added five more in the top of the sixth. King knocked in her fourth run of the day with a single that scored Beech. Grayson Phipps then scored two more to make it 14-6 before the scoring concluded with a Campbell RBI base hit and Dye sacrifice fly. 

Campbell and Bennett each led the team in game two with three hits at the plate while King drove in four runs. 

Chandler got the start in the circle for game two, throwing three innings to start and allowing three runs. Holt replaced her in the fourth and threw two innings. Chandler re-entered with a runner on and no outs in the sixth and got a strikeout and double play to end the game. 

Up Next:

Walters State will return to TCCAA play at home on Friday, taking on No. 9 Chattanooga State in a doubleheader. The first game will start 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