COLUMBIA, TN – Top-seeded Walters State fell in an 11-inning marathon on Tuesday afternoon to fourth-seeded Volunteer State by a 6-1 score, before bouncing back with an 8-0 win over Motlow State in the TCCAA/Region VII Tournament.
With the split, Walters State moved to 43-9 on the season. The Lady Senators will play another elimination game on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT against Dyersburg State.
GAME ONE: (4) Volunteer State 6, (1) Walters State 1 (11 Innings)
In game one, Walters State got an outstanding pitching performance from Tori Coffman but could not get the bats going in the loss.
Coffman threw all 11 innings, allowing one run through the first 10 innings, and struck out 15. Coffman gave up six runs, five earned, in total for the game. Coffman faced 43 batters and threw 186 pitches.
At the plate, Kailey Dixon had two hits while Sarah Evers smacked a solo home run. The Lady Senators had just six hits in the game.
There was little scoring for much of the game, as Volunteer State got on board first in the fifth with a run on a passed ball. That was the only score until the seventh, when Evers smacked a solo shot to tie the game. Walters State loaded the bases with two outs later in the inning but a flyout ended the threat and sent things to extras.
In extras, neither team threatened in the eighth or ninth innings. The 10th inning began the international rule, with a runner starting the inning on second base. Both teams moved the runner to third in the 10th, and Walters State loaded the bases. However, neither team could push the winning run across.
In the 11th, Walters State got two outs before Vol State got a two-RBI double and a three-run homer to pull in front and ultimately win.
GAME TWO: (1) Walters State 8, (6) Motlow State 0 (5 Innings)
In game two, the Lady Senators scored seven runs in the first inning and one in the fifth to end things early and keep their hopes alive.
At the plate, Dixon had two more hits and drove across two runs while Brooklyn Copley hit her 18th home run of the season and knocked in two runs.
In the circle, Hayley Lawing improved to 17-3 with the win. Lawing threw five innings, allowing no run on three hits and striking out two.
The Lady Senators took some frustration out in the opening inning, scoring seven times to take control. Nora Mack got the scoring going with an RBI single, and Copley made it 3-0 with a two-run homer. The scoring continued as Kendal Mason doubled home a run and an error scored Haidyn Campbell and Mason. The final run of the inning came across on Dixon's second hit of the inning, an RBI double that scored Abigail Taylor to make it 7-0.
Lawing held Motlow State at bay for the next four innings, and Walters State ended it in the fifth as Dixon hit a sacrifice fly that scored Campbell to make it 8-0.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics