No. 2 Walters State uses nine pitchers in victory over Milligan JV

MORRISTOWN, TN – No. 2 Walters State used a multitude of pitchers on Wednesday afternoon against Milligan JV as they shut down the Buffaloes with a 9-3 victory.

With the win, the Senators improved to 36-3 on the season. They have now won 16 in-a-row. 

Bracken Rice was the star for the Senators on the mound, striking out the side in his inning of work. 

"I definitely feel like I had all three of my pitches working for strikes today for the first time in a little bit," Rice said. "That definitely gave me a confidence booster. My changeup was really good today."

It was Rice's fifth appearance of the season on Wednesday and his first since March 24. For the season, he is now 1-0 with a 4.82 ERA in 9.1 innings of work and has 10 strikeouts.  

"My mindset is really just to go out there and fill it up and throw as many strikes as possible," Rice said. "I'm just trying to be efficient and get us back in the dugout because I know our offense is going to put up runs." 

The other eight pitchers for Walters State in the game were Landon Crumbley, who started the game, Nolan Letzgus, Jacques Gillespie-Taylor, Cooper Morgan, Ty Cobb, Luke Ferguson, Xavier Fosbenner and Joey Mitchell. 

Out of those eight, Crumbley, Morgan, Ferguson and Mitchell each struck out two in their inning of work. Rice, Morgan, Ferguson and Mitchell didn't allow hits as well. 

At the plate, Kory Klingenbeck led the way with a three-run homer that jump-started the offense. The Senators were trailing 3-0 before Klingenbeck tied the game up.  

"Being down early in the game, I knew we just needed a boost to put us back in the game," Klingenbeck said. "I put a good swing on a 3-2 fastball and just did my job. It was nice." 

Klingenbeck has split time at catcher with Declan Wiesner this season and has made the most of it. In 23 games, Klingenbeck has six home runs and 17 RBIs to go along with a .306 batting average. Earlier in the season, he homered in four straight games. 

"My confidence is through the roof right now with me and my teammates behind me talking me up and encouraging me," Klingenbeck said. "I just know right now that I can hit anyone and anywhere. I'm just trying to put good swings on fastballs whenever I get them in the count." 

Along with Klingenbeck, Colby Backus and Kruise Newman each hit home runs while Caleb McNeely and Nick Block both collected two hits apiece. 

It was Milligan JV who actually struck first in the ballgame with three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. However, the Senators wasted no time answering back as Klingenbeck mashed a 3-2 fastball for a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the second. 

Walters State took the lead for good in the third as Backus hit his 12th homer of the season, a solo shot, that put the Senators up 4-3.

After another run in the fourth inning off a McNeely RBI single that scored Andrew Ott, the Senators kept the pressure on in the fifth inning with four more runs to break the game open. 

The scoring started in the form of a Newman two-run homer that scored Corbin Shaw to make it 6-3. Jack Sutton followed up with a single and Wiesner doubled him home. Wiesner would then score on an RBI single from Noah Gent for the final run of the game. 

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Friday as they travel to Roane State for a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 2 p.m.

"I definitely feel like we need to lock it in more at practice and in the dugout," Rice said. "We weren't focused today, so I think we need to lock back in and get ready to go this weekend." 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics