Senators complete sweep of No. 16 Chattanooga State with 18-0 thrashing

MORRISTOWN, TN – Walters State hit for the home run cycle as a team on Sunday afternoon against No. 16 Chattanooga State.

In one inning.

In Sunday's second inning, Kurtis Reid hit a two-run homer, Logen Sutton hit a three-run blast, Nate Conner hit a grand slam and Deniel Ortiz completed the cycle with a solo shot. Walters State scored 12 runs in the inning and went on for an 18-0 win.

With the win, Walters State improved to 21-8 overall and 7-2 in TCCAA play. Walters State outscored Chattanooga State 35-1 in the three-game series. 

"It's great," Conner said about the sweep. "We started the year a little slow, but it's great to get back to Walters State baseball. Scoring 12 in an inning, that should be the norm around here and it's good we're getting back to it." 

Taz Butler got the start on the mound for the Senators and pitched with ease, as Walters State scored 16 runs for him in the first three innings. 

"It makes everything a lot easier," Butler said. "It just lets me go out there and play and keep stuff in the zone and let them get themselves out." 

Butler improved to 4-0 on the season with his start, striking out seven and allowing just three hits in five innings. 

"Today was really just fastball, curveball," Butler said. "Curveball was iffy at times, but I felt like I made some really competitive pitches today."

Luke Ferguson replaced Butler in the sixth and struck out two, before Ryan Bender finished things off with a strikeout in a clean seventh inning.

As a pitching staff, Walters State gave up just nine hits and one run in 19 innings on the weekend.

"We're just commanding the zone and getting ahead in the counts," Butler said. "When you're able to get ahead in the counts, it's a lot easier to pitch. It just lets your stuff play." 

At the plate, Conner led the way with his grand slam and six RBI. Conner is now hitting .440 in the leadoff spot, with three home runs and 16 RBI. Conner's OBP is .547. 

"My mindset is just to get on and let Deniel (Ortiz) and Jack (Vogele) get me in," Conner said. "When they're behind me, I know that I just have to get on first and let them do the rest." 

Along with Conner, Sutton hit two home runs and drove in five runs, while Reid had three RBI. Walker Morgan also drove home two runs. 

The Senators got some two-out magic in the first inning to get things going on Sunday, as Vogele doubled and Sutton hit a two-run homer to make it 2-0.

The second inning was the big one, as Keaton Ray led off with a single and Reid mashed a home run. The Tigers recorded an out after, but Deniel Ortiz reached on a hit by pitch and Vogele singled. That brought up Sutton, who hit a three-run bomb to make it 7-0.

Jarrett Martin and Zion Taylor reached after Sutton's homer, and Morgan drove Martin in with an RBI single. Following walks to Ray and Reid, Reid's walk brought in a run, Conner made it 13-0 with a massive grand slam. Ortiz was next up and concluded the scoring with a solo shot that made it 14-0. 

The Senators finished their scoring with two runs in the third on a Conner double and two runs in the fourth on a Taylor walk with the bases loaded and a sacrifice fly by Morgan that scored Sutton and made it 18-0.

From there, the pitching staff was lights out to close the game out in seven innings. 

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Thursday for a doubleheader on the road against Cumberland University JV. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. 

"We just need to come out with a lot of energy," Butler said. "Just need to keep doing what we've been doing. If we limit the mistakes, we'll be alright." 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics