No. 5 Walters State splits final two games with Georgia Highlands

ROME, GA – No. 5 Walters State fell 7-0 in game one against Georgia Highlands on Sunday afternoon, but bounced back with a 4-1 win in game two. 

With the split, Walters State moved to 8-6 on the season.

GAME ONE: Georgia Highlands 7, No. 5 Walters State 0

In game one, Walters State managed just two hits in the loss.

Jarrett Martin collected both hits for Walters State. Kurtis Reid and Brantley Bamberg both reached on walks, as well.

On the mound, Ethan Walker (1-2) got the start and threw four innings. Walker gave up four runs on five hits and struck out five. Walker Morgan replaced Walker in the fifth and gave up two runs in an inning of work, before Drew Horn pitched the final inning. Horn gave up an unearned run and struck out two. 

The Senators best chance of the game came in the top of the first, as Reid walked to start things and Martin doubled with two outs. However, Logen Sutton flew out and that was Walters State's last threatening chance of the game. 

GAME TWO: No. 5 Walters State 4, Georgia Highlands 1

In game two, Deniel Ortiz got the bat going and Manning West pitched five strong innings as the Senators managed to split the four-game series with Georgia Highlands.

Ortiz went 3-3 at the plate in game two, mashing a two-run homer. Miles Smith and Taylor Harris hit solo home runs, as well. The Senators had eight hits in the game.

On the mound, West (1-0) threw five innings and gave up one run on two hits. West walked four but struck out six. Tyler Welch (Sv. 1) picked up the save with two innings of work, striking out two and allowing just one hit. 

Following a scoreless first, Walters State got some two-out magic in the second. Sutton started things with a double, and Ortiz smacked his second home run of the season to make it 2-0.

Georgia Highlands came back with a run in the bottom of the second, but Smith got the lead back to two with a solo home run in the top of the third. That's where the lead would stand until the top of the seventh, when Taylor Harris hit a solo homer to make it 4-1. 

Welch got a double play and strikeout in the bottom of the seventh to close things out. 

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Wednesday, hosting Cleveland Community College at 2 p.m. It will be a singular nine-inning game. 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics