No. 2 Senators open TCCAA with sweep of Tigers

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Jerry Hammons left no doubt in his final plate appearance of Saturday's doubleheader.

After five scoreless innings in the second game, Hammons stepped up to the plate with one out in the bottom half of the sixth.

As soon as Hammons made contact, there was no doubt it was leaving the park as his solo home run helped second-ranked Walters State complete a twin-bill sweep of visiting Chattanooga State at Ken Campbell Field as the Senators won 1-0 after taking the series opener 5-1.

It was the third home run of the year for Hammons, who finished Saturday's doubleheader having gone 4-for-6 at the plate for the Senators (12-3, 2-0 TCCAA).

Corey Stone (4-0) went the distance on the hill, recording two of his six strikeouts in the final inning of the doubleheader. He surrendered just two hits and a pair of walks in the seven-inning affair.

The Tigers got past first base only twice, the first coming on a first-inning double and the second time coming in the sixth on a walk followed by a sacrifice bunt. But WSCC turned a two-out fielder's choice to keep the game scoreless.

Bryce Hodge smashed his third home run of the year in game one, a one-out solo blast over the left-field wall for the Senators' final run of the opener in the fifth inning.

Kyle Nunn (0-1), who relieved starter Bryce Woody after 3.1 innings, was tagged with the loss after giving up the home run while striking out three over 2.2 innings of work. Woody fanned four and allowed two hits.

After a passed ball advanced runners to second and third, Combs singled them both home with his base hit to centerfield to give the Senators an early 2-0 lead. Bibb then doubled to right to advance Combs to third, and the latter crossed home to make it 3-0 on Robinson's RBI groundout.

Silas Butler, who went 1-for-3, drew a leadoff walk to start the home half of the fifth inning and quickly rounded the bases home when Hammons ripped a double to right-center, building the Senators' lead to 4-1 before Hodge stepped up to the dish moments later.

Alex Haynes (2-2) picked up the win on the mound, having fanned seven while allowing five hits and one earned run in his five innings pitched for the Senators. 

Gage Gillian relieved Haynes in the sixth and threw the final two inning, striking out three batters in the seventh inning to close out the contest.

Hammonds, Hodge and Michael Robinson all hit 2-for-3 in the opening game. Brayden Combs and Alex Bibb, who recorded Walters State's lone other hit in game two, each recorded one hit in game one.

Noah Fitzgerald's RBI double to left center provided Chattanooga State's only run in 18 innings of baseball, cutting Walters State's lead to 3-1 in the top of the second. Bass Cooper batted 2-for-3 to lead the Tigers at the plate.

Garrett Hartley (0-1) took the loss after allowing five earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings.