No. 4 Walters State completes fourth straight sweep, taking down Motlow State

MORRISTOWN, TN – No. 4 Walters State came into Thursday's doubleheader against Motlow State with a lot of confidence.  

Following their first loss of the season two weeks ago, the Senators rallied off six straight wins, putting up ridiculous numbers. 

And that streak continued on Thursday. 

While the numbers weren't as crazy as games past, Walters State still managed to sweep the doubleheader 5-1 and 11-4, extending their win streak to eight.  

"Obviously when you can get two wins against a conference opponent, you have to be happy about it," Walters State coach Dave Shelton said. "Credit to Motlow. Their starter in the first game was good. He held us in check, but we managed to get some home runs off of him. 

"We just have a lot to work on as a team."  

With the sweep, Walters State improves to 13-1 on the season and are 7-1 in conference play.  

NO. 4 WALTERS STATE 5, MOTLOW STATE 1  

The Senators lived and died by the home run ball in game one against the Bucks as Jerry Hammons and Matthew Ellis both hit home runs to jumpstart the offense. 

It was Hammons who got the scoring started as he hit a ball over the batters eye in center field in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0.  

Hammons also hit a home run in game two in the first inning, that one a two-run shot. 

Then in the third, it was Ellis who got in on the fun as he mashed a home run, a two-run shot, that made it 3-1.  

Walters State continued the offense in the fourth as Andrew Ott doubled home a run. The scoring concluded in the fifth after Caleb McNeely singled, Ellis singled him to third and Alberto Osuna scored him on a sacrifice fly. 

The Senators were led in the game by Ellis who had three hits and two RBIs. Ott had two hits while three others knocked in runs.  

"We are known as a power hitting team, it's what we do," Shelton said. "I didn't feel like we struck out anymore then we usually do. Their first arm was a top of the line weekend starter in our league."  

On the mound, it was Andrew Romanoli who got the start. Romanoli lasted 2.2 innings, allowing one run on one hit and striking out four, before walking in a run that led to Nathan Morris entering the game.  

Morris got the final out of the third inning and was rock solid from there, allowing no hits and striking out 10 in 4.1 innings of work.  

"I was ecstatic with the way Nathan Morris pitched," Shelton said. "He did a superb job of coming in in relief and shutting them down the rest of the game."  

NO. 4 WALTERS STATE 11, MOTLOW STATE 4 

The Senators offense wasted no time in game two, continuing the home run parade in the first inning.  

First, it was Hammons who blasted his second home run of the day, this one over the right field fence to make it 2-2. 

Two batters later, Alberto Osuna gave Walters State the lead as he hit a two-run home run over the fence in right-center. It was Osuna's eighth home run of the season.  

The very next batter was Cam Fisher and he kept it rolling, mashing a ball over the batter's eye in center to make it 5-2. 

After Motlow added a run in the top of the third, the Senators answered back in the bottom half of the inning as Luckas Cook doubled home a run to make it 6-3.  

Then in the fourth, Walters State broke the game open with three runs. Osuna started the rally with an RBI double and Noah Block followed him up by singling in two runs to make it 9-3.  

Once again in the fifth, Walters State added more runs off another home run. This time it was the leadoff hitter McNeely who went yard, smoking a ball over the fence in center.  

In game two, Walters State was led by Hammons who had four hits and drove in two runs. Osuna and Fisher both had two hits while McNeely and Block both knocked in a pair of runs. 

Nolan Letzgus got the start for Walters State in game two, throwing five innings and allowing two earned runs on two hits while striking out five. Letzgus is 3-0 on the year, however, Shelton feels that he could be even better.  

"Nolan's still got to get better," Shelton said. "He has the potential to be the most dominant pitcher in the country, but he's overthinking things. I stay frustrated with him because I know how good he can be. He has as good of stuff as anybody in the country." 

Following Letzgus, Drew Honeycutt pitched a scoreless sixth inning before Brayden Matthews closed it out in the seventh. 

UP NEXT: 

Walters State will be back in action on Saturday, travelling to take on Volunteer State in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.  

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics