Walker’s 10th-inning double lifts No. 12 Walters State over Cleveland Community College 

SHELBY, NC – Jaxon Walker doubled with two outs in the top of the 10th on Wednesday afternoon, scoring Brady Dalton for what proved to be the game-winning run as No. 12 Walters State picked up a 7-6 extra-inning win over Cleveland Community College. 

With the victory, the Senators improved to 18-5 on the season.

Walker was the star for Walters State in the game, going 4-5 with an RBI. Along with Walker, Holden Pantier had two hits and two RBIs. 

Hayden Mills got the start for the Senators in the game, throwing five innings. Mills allowed two runs on four hits and struck out two. Justin Bell replaced Mills in the sixth and gave up two runs on three hits while striking out one. Sam Martell threw the seventh inning, allowing two runs on two hits, while Bridger Hamilton threw the next 1.2 innings. Hamilton allowed no runs and struck out two. With two outs in the ninth and the bases loaded, Lane Sharp (2-2) entered and picked up a strikeout. Sharp then threw a 1-2-3 10th inning to seal the win. 

The Senators started quick, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Kole Fenton reached on an error to lead the game off, and he scored when Blair doubled. Later in the inning, Davis Peralta scored Blair with an RBI single to make it 2-0.

Cleveland got a run back in the bottom of the third, but Walters State answered in the top of the fifth to make it 3-1. The run came across on a Pantier solo home run. However, Cleveland picked up a run in the bottom of the fifth and two in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead. 

In the seventh, Walker singled to start a rally for the Senators. Fenton then reached on an error, and Pantier singled home Walker to tie the game. Two batters later, Drew Blalock gave the Senators a 5-4 lead with an RBI single that scored Fenton. One final run came across when Miles Shore bunted down the third-base line and scored Pantier to make it 6-4.

Unfortunately for the Senators, Cleveland scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. In the bottom of the ninth, Cleveland loaded the bases with two outs. Sharp entered the game and struck out the next batter to send the game to extras.

In the 10th, Dalton singled with one out and moved to second on a groundout. Walker was next up, and he doubled with two outs to score Dalton and give Walters State a 7-6 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Sharp got a popout, a strikeout and a groundout to end the game. 

Up Next:

Walters State is back in action over the weekend, hosting Roane State. Friday's nine-inning contest is set to begin at 12 pm ET.