MORRISTOWN, TN – Walters State's softball completed a four-game sweep of 19th ranked Dyersburg State with a pair of run-rule victories Saturday afternoon on sophomore day.
The Lady Senators took the opener, 9-1, in six innings on Kaitlyn Harper's walkoff single with the bases loaded. In the second contest, Walters State scored five times in the bottom of the fifth for a 12-4 triumph with Jessica Odom getting the walkoff hit, a fly ball over the center fielder's head with the sacks loaded.
Coach Larry Sauceman's Lady Senators notched their 13th straight victory and improved to 35-9 for the season. With four games remaining they are 23-5 in Tennessee Community College Athletic Association play and trail league leading Chattanooga State by two games.
The Lady Tigers are 27-3 in the league and has a four-game set with Dyersburg next weekend while the Lady Senators close with four at Columbia State. Volunteer State is currently second at 24-5 and Dyersburg is 25-7. Dyersburg saw its overall mark dip to 38-12 with the four losses to Walters on the weekend.
Walters State's sophomores were honored in a post-game ceremony. The group consists of Maggie Johnson, Odom, Harper, Jessica Campbell, Kasey Bennett. Allison Chandler and Abby Holt.
Sauceman's club pounded out 11 hits in the opening game victory highlighted by two home runs from Brianna Beech and one from Bennett.
In the nightcap, Odom and Campbell collected four hits apiece to lead a 16-hit blitz. Sauceman said, "It was a good weekend for us. Our goal was to win them all and the girls went out there and did what they had to do the get the job done. "I thought we hit the ball well in the whole series," he added. "We had 21 hits yesterday and came back with 27 more today. I'll take the output every series. The girls have swung the bats all year for us."
The coach added, "I thought Ashley Milligan pitched her butt off all weekend for us. "I thought everybody contributed a little bit to us getting four wins and now we have to hope somebody loses," Sauceman said. "We're hoping we're getting hot at the right time and can get down to the tournament and do something."
Milligan was indeed the star on the mound for Walters State. She notched two wins and two saves in the series. On Saturday, she threw a six-inning, three-hitter while walking none and striking out five in winning game one. The run she gave up was unearned. She came on in relief in the fourth inning of the second contest and didn't give up a hit while striking out four.
In talking about his sophomores, the coach said, "It's a group of great kids. They came in here and worked hard for us and wound up with some pretty good results."
Dyersburg State had the early lead in both games. Brinley Cousar doubled and scored on an error in the top of the first to give the Lady Eagles a 1-0 advantage. Odom beat out an infield hit with two out in the bottom of the inning and Beech smacked her first homer of the day to put the home team in front.
The Lady Senators scored four times in the second when Ava Brooks doubled and came home on a sacrifice fly by Campbell. Bennett followed with a three-run shot, her 18th of the season.
Beech homered again to lead off the third for a 7-1 lead.
Walters State ended it with a two-run sixth. Sarah King singled, Campbell was hit by a pitch and Bennett singled. King scored on a wild pitch after Beech singled to load the bases before Harper hit the ball over the head of the center fielder. It would have been for extra bases but the game ended when the first runner touched the plate.
Beach finished with three hits while Bennett and Olivia Harris added two each.
Milligan retired the final 13 batters she faced in upping her mound record to an amazing 15-0.
The Lady Senators fell behind again in the nightcap. Cousar walked to lead off the game, Abby West had a single and Hannah Jackson's sacrifice fly brought Cousar across the plate. Dyersburg threatened again in the second as Hailey Sipes had an infield hit and stole second base. However, Chandler struck out two of the next three batters to get out of the jam.
Harris led of the second with a single for the Lady Senators. She stole second as Odom worked a walk off losing pitcher Payton Reasons who was also the loser in the first game. Harper sacrificed the runners up and Johnson dripped a single to right to score both and put the home team ahead for good. Johnson stole second and scored on a hit by Campbell for a 3-1 lead.
With one out in the third, Brooks and Harris had back-to-back hits and Odom clouted her 10th home run of the season to make it 6-1.
Dyersburg came back with three in the fourth of Chandler and reliever Abby Holt before Milligan came in to shut down the rally.
Walters got one of the runs back in its half of the inning when Harris had a hit and scored on a double by Beech to make it 7-4.
That meant the Lady Senators had to have five to end the game early and that's just what they did. Johnson Singled and scored on King's double. King scored on an error.
Campbell walked and a dropped fly ball in left put two on base. Beach walked to load the sacks and another walk to Brooks forced in a run. Harris had a sacrifice fly to score the fourth run before Odom hit the ball off the fence in center to end it.
Harris and Johnson had two hits each for Walters State while Beech, Odom and King had doubles. Sipes had a pair of singles for the Lady Eagles.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics