No. 2 Senators run winning streak to 13 games

JACKSON, Tenn. — Second-ranked Walters State had allowed just 32 runs in the first 17 games of the season entering Monday's Tennessee Community College Athletic Association road doubleheader at Jackson State.

That number didn't change much after the twinbill with the Green Jays, as six Walters State pitches combined to allow just one run on eight hits in the two games. The Senators won the opener 6-1 before taking the nightcap and series finale, 11-0, in five innings to complete the two-game sweep after Sunday's game was rained out.

With the wins, WSCC has now won 13 straight games to improve to 16-3 overall and 4-0 in TCCAA action, tying the Senators with Motlow State for the league lead after two weekends. Walters State has allowed just two runs in four league games, which is also the same amount of runs given up in the last seven games overall. The Senators have now allowed one run or fewer in 11 games this season.

The losses dropped the Green Jays to 9-11 overall and 0-4 in league play.

In the opener, Kody Davidson (3-0) tossed four innings of one-hit ball and struck out five batters while walking four and hitting another before Andrew Lindsey allowed three hits while striking out four and walking one in two innings of relief. Drew Vaden surrendered an earned run on two hits with three strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh to close out the game.

At the plate, JL Bland smacked three hits in the win while scoring a run and driving in a run as well. Bryce Hodge blasted a three-run home run and Michael Robinson doubled while Jerry Hammons, Brayden Combs and Mason Streater all singled in the victory. Drew Haynie had the other RBI for the Senators in the win.

Six different Green Jays singled in the contest, with DJ Wright driving in the only run of the game for the home team in the final frame with a two-out single. Nathan Boyle (1-2) took the loss after giving up six runs (five earned) on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

All six runs for Walters State came in the fourth inning, as Streater was hit by a pitch before Robinson doubled and Bland singled on a bunt which Boyle fielded and tossed the ball away at first base, allowing two runs to score. Haynie added an RBI bunt on a squeeze bunt before Hodge hammered a three-run homer to make it 6-0. The shutout stood until the final frame and Wright's RBI single.

In the finale, Corey Stone (5-0) allowed just two hits and fanned four batters in four innings, while Blake Petty retired both batters he faced before Alex Haynes stuck out the final batter in the fifth to close out the shutout.

Each of the top five players in the Walters State lineup drove in two runs in the win, with Hammons and Hodge both slapping three hits, with Hodge roping a pair of doubles and a triple and Hammons adding a two-bagger. Xavier Arnette added two doubles, while Streater had two hits with a triple and Combs has a single. Haynie and Max Riemer both singled in the win.

Sergio Patsy (2-4) took the loss after giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits in four innings. Wright and Landen Beyer both had a base hit in the defeat.

The Senators took a 3-0 lead after one inning, as Arnette and Hammons led off the game with back-to-back doubles before Hodge was hit by a pitch and Streater tripled in a pair of runs. The lead jumped to 5-0 in the second inning on an RBI single by Hammons and a run scoring three-bagger by Hodge.

After a scoreless third inning, WSCC added a pair of runs in the fourth on a two-run single by Combs, and the Senators closed out the game with four runs in the fifth. Arnette ripped a bases loaded double to bring home two runs, Haynie scored on a passed ball and Hodge drove in a run with a double for the 11-0 final score.

The Senators will return to action Wednesday afternoon with yet another road trip, this time to South Carolina to take on perennial powerhouse Spartanburg Methodist (10-7) in a midweek doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.