12th-ranked Senators split doubleheader with Columbia State

COLUMBIA, TN – No. 12 Walters State lost 12-11 in extra innings in game one against Columbia State on Sunday afternoon but bounced back with an 8-1 win in game two.

With the split, the Senators moved to 14-8 overall and 1-2 in TCCAA play. 

GAME ONE: Columbia State 12, No. 12 Walters State 11 (8 Innings)

In game one of the day, the Senators scored nine runs in the first three innings. However, Columbia took the lead with eight runs in the sixth and then walked things off in the bottom of the eighth with a run. 

At the plate, Zion Taylor and Deniel Ortiz smacked home runs. Both drove in three runs and had two hits. Logen Sutton had two hits and two RBI, as well. 

On the mound, Manning West threw five innings. West allowed two unearned runs on three hits and struck out five. Miles Smith replaced West in the sixth and gave up four runs on two hits, before Ryan Bender entered and gave up two runs on one hit. Jonny Stevens replaced Bender with the bases loaded and still no outs in the sixth, throwing 1.1 innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits while striking out four.

Drew Horn (0-1) pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing a run on two hits while striking out three.

The Senators put up five runs in the top of the first, as Sutton singled home two and Taylor smacked a three-run homer to center that made it 5-0. Columbia got a run back in the bottom of the first, but Ortiz made it 7-1 in the top of the second with a two-run homer off the scoreboard.

Columbia State scored another run in the bottom of the second, but Keaton Ray doubled in a run and Ethan Bosely hit a sacrifice fly that scored Ray in the top of the third that made it 9-2.

That is where the score would hold until the sixth, when Columbia took a 10-9 lead with eight runs. The Chargers were three outs away from taking the win, but Walters State answered back in the top of the seventh. Taylor Harris scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and Ortiz singled home Nate Conner to make it 11-10.

However, the Senators could not get the final three outs either as Columbia singled home the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. The Chargers had a chance to walk things off with a runner on second and one out, but Horn entered and struck out the next two batters.

Unfortunately for Walters State, they left a runner on second in the top of the eighth, and Columbia State got a two-out single that scored a run to win the game.

GAME TWO: No. 12 Walters State 8, Columbia State 1

In game two, the Senators once again built an early lead. This time, they were able to hold it.

Taz Butler (3-0) got the start on the mound for Walters State and was excellent, giving up one run on three hits while striking out eight in 5.1 innings of work. Gage Peterson replaced Butler in the sixth and pitched the final 1.2 innings. Peterson did not give up a hit and struck out four. 

At the plate, Jarrett Martin hit his third home run of the year and knocked in two runs. Taylor also had two RBI. 

Following a run in the first on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded, Walters State scored four runs in the second to build a 5-0 lead. Those runs came on a Sutton RBI single, a Taylor two-RBI single and a delayed steal that scored Sutton. 

Columbia got a run back in the third, but the Senators scored the final three runs of the game. One of those runs came in the sixth on a Jack Vogele sacrifice fly, while the other two came in the seventh on a Martin home run that made it 8-1.

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Friday, hosting Motlow State. Friday's nine-inning game is set 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