No. 4 Senators crush Montreat JV twice in sweep

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Fourth-ranked Walters State had scored 20 or more runs twice in 47 games this season entering Wednesday's home doubleheader against Montreat JV at Ken Campbell Field.

The Senators doubled that against the visiting Cavaliers, scoring in 10 of the 12 innings, including innings of 12 and eight runs in sweeping the twinbill by the scores of 22-3 in the opener and 27-1 in the nightcap.

Walters State (42-7) belted 20 extra-base hits in the dozen innings they came to the plate, including six homers on the afternoon, while notching 37 hits and recording 14 walks and seven hit batters in the sweep.

Seven different Senators had at least two hits and two RBIs in the opening win, as WSCC scored three in the first inning, four in the second, answered a two-spot from the Cavaliers in the third with a five-run frame, answered a run from the visitors in the fifth with a two-spot and scored eight in the sixth to roll up the 22-3 win.

Jerry Hammons led Walters State with four hits and as many RBIs, as he smashed a double and notch his 10th round tripper of the campaign. Xavier Arnette, Alex Bibb and Jacob Jennings all had three hits, with Arnette and Bibb both going deep for their second and sixth homers, respectively, while all three had two-baggers. Brayden Combs, Michael Robinson and JL Bland all had two hits as well, with Combs clouting his team-leading 13th homer.

Arnette, Combs, Jennings, Robinson and Braydon Runion all had three runs batted in, while Bibb plated a pair and Bland had an RBI in the win with a double as well.

Jack Collins grabbed the win in relief, improving to 2-0 on the year after giving up an earned run on a hit with four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings of work. Bubba Hubbard started and allowed two earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Dillon Phillips worked the final two innings and did not allow a run while scattering two hits.

Erwing Hernandez homered and doubled in the loss, driving in all three runs for Montreat. Nick Texidor took the loss, surrendering seven earned runs on seven hits in two innings.

In the finale, the Senators had six players with multiple hits, led by Max Reimer with four hits in the contest. Bryce Hodge added three hits, while Drew Haynie, Mason Streater, Combs and Jennings each added two hits in the win. Hodge belted his 11th dinger of the year, a grand slam, while Streater smacked his fifth tater of the campaign. Haynie notched a pair of doubles, while Hodge, Combs, Jennings, Streater, Arnette and Seth Gardner each added a two-bagger.

Hodge drove home five runs in the win, while Combs had four RBIs, Haynie, Gardner and Reimer all knocked in three runs, Jennings and Streater had a pair of RBIs and Arnette and Silas Butler both had an RBI in the contest.

The visitors led 1-0 after the first half-inning before WSCC scored 27 unanswered in the win. The Senators scored one in the first, two in the second, four in the fourth and 12 in the fifth before tacking on eight more in the sixth to close the scoring.

Drew Caden (3-0) was credited with the win after allowing an earned run on two hits with four strikeouts in two innings. Zach Joyce, Blake Petty and Andrew Lindsey combined to allow just two hits while fanning eight batters over the final five innings.

The Senators are scheduled for a three-game series at Tennessee Community College Athletic Association rival Columbia State this weekend. The first game on Friday at Dave Hall Field is set for 5 p.m. while Saturday's doubleheader is slated for 1 p.m.