No. 3 Walters State up win streak to 23 with sweep of Cleveland State

CLEVELAND, TN – No. 3 Walters State won their third and fourth games of the week on Wednesday afternoon, taking down Cleveland State 9-4 and 14-3.  

With the sweep, Walters State improves to 29-1 on the season and 14-1 in conference play.  

NO. 3 WALTERS STATE 9, CLEVELAND STATE 4 

The Senators used a big fifth and sixth inning in game one to take the lead and pull away from the Cougars.  

In the game, Walters State was led by Jerry Hammons and Matthew Ellis each with two hits. Hammons knocked in two runs while Caleb McNeely drove home two and Cam Fisher knocked in three.  

After Cleveland State broke out to a 2-0 lead, Walters State answered back in the top of the third. First, it was Hammons who hammered a ball over the fence. Then Ellis, the next batter, tied the game up with one swing of the bat when he hammered a ball over the fence.  

While the Cougars retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning, Walters State answered again in the top of the fifth. First, it was McNeely who gave the Senators the lead for good when he crushed a two-run home run. Then Ellis scored on an error and it was 5-3. 

In the top of the sixth, Walters State added to their lead. Hammons started it off with a double that scored McNeely. Then, after Cleveland State intentionally walked Alberto Osuna, Fisher made them pay, hitting a three-run home run that made it 9-3. 

Kohl Drake got the start on the mound for Walters State, throwing four innings and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out three. Drake is now 4-1 on the season. 

Nathan Morris then replaced Drake and threw the final three innings, picking up his first save while allowing one run on two hits.  

NO. 3 WALTERS STATE 14, CLEVELAND STATE 3 

In game two, Walters State scored five runs in the second inning and then broke the game open with a six-run ninth inning.  

For the Senators, they were led by Dalton McLain, Fisher, Noah Gent and Skyler Cannady who each had two hits. Fisher led the team with four RBIs while Hammons, McLain and Block each drove home two runs.  

The scoring started immediately for Walters State as Fisher doubled home two runs in the first. In the second, the Senators really took control when Hammons singled home Andrew Ott, Lukas Cook scored on an error, Osuna scored McNeely on a sac fly and Block singled home two runs. That made it 7-0. 

After Cannady scored in the sixth on a wild pitch, the Senators secured the win in the ninth. McLain led the inning off with a solo home run before Fisher singled in two runs. Then, it was Cannady joining in as he doubled in Fisher. After Cook scored on an error, McLain finished it off by singling in Cannady.  

Andrew Romanoli got the start on the mound for Walters State, going four innings while allowing one run on six hits. Romanoli is now 5-0 on the season.  

Nathan Hickman replaced Romanoli in the fifth inning and threw 3.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits. Before Robbie Yates closed it out with a scoreless 1.1 innings.  

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics