No. 5 Walters State improves to 41-1 with sweep of Cleveland State

MORRISTOWN, TN – The train kept rolling right along Saturday afternoon for No.5 Walters State as they took two more games from Cleveland State to secure the sweep. The Lady Senators took a 9-1 win in game one before closing things out with a 14-0 game two win.

With the sweep, the Lady Senators improved to 41-1 on the season and are 25-1 in TCCAA play. 

"We started off a little slow but shook it off and came out with a couple wins," Walters State pitcher Tori Coffman said. "That's really the big thing. We just have to keep on rolling." 

"Pitching, defense, everything was pretty good this weekend," Walters State catcher Jules Johnson added. "We kind of put everything together in that last game." 

GAME ONE: No. 5 Walters State 9, Cleveland State 1

In game one, Jules Johnson hit her fourth home run of the weekend while Tori Coffman got things done in the circle. 

Coffman picked up her 22nd win of the season as she allowed one run on just two hits while striking out six. Coffman allowed just one walk in Saturday's game, a stark contrast from the eight she allowed on Friday. 

"I started off slow and was getting behind in the count," Coffman said about Friday. "When I warmed up today, I felt good and the mechanics were there. I just have to get healthy and stay healthy for the rest of the season." 

At the plate, Johnson drove in two runs while Brianna Beech hit a home run and drove in four runs. 

For the weekend, Johnson picked up five hits and drove in nine runs. For the season, she is hitting .390 with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs.

"I just didn't think about mechanics and just went in there thinking that if she gave me a strike on the inside, I was going to swing and hit the ball," Johnson said. "I didn't think too much and just went up there and hit." 

It was Johnson that got the Lady Senators started in the game as she cranked a two-run homer in the bottom of the first.

The score would remain 2-0 for the next two innings before Cleveland hit a solo homer in the fourth to make it 2-1. Needing a response, the Lady Senators got it in the fifth with four runs to make it 6-1. Those runs came on an error that scored Kasey Bennett and a three-run homer by Beech.

In the sixth, the Lady Senators added three more runs as Bennett had an RBI single, Tatum Dye hit a sacrifice fly to score Kailey Dixon and an error scored Bennett to end the game. 

GAME TWO: No. 5 Walters State 14, Cleveland State 0 (5 Innings) 

In game two, the Lady Senators collected 13 hits and smacked six home runs to complete the sweep.

Bennett and Dye led the way at the plate with two home runs apiece, while Ashlyn Gaines and Ava Brooks also homered.

"When one person hits, we all really seem to hit," Johnson said. "We all just play well together. I think that this team puts everything together well."

In the circle, Ashley Milligan got the start and allowed one hit while striking out five. Milligan improved to 18-1 on the season with the win. 

In the fifth, Abigayle Holt relieved MIlligan and pitched the final inning. She allowed just one hit.

Once again, things started early for the Lady Senators as they scored five runs in the bottom of the first. Those runs came on a Bennett solo homer, a Dye two-run homer and a Brooks two-run homer that made it 5-0.

In the second three more runs scored as Bennett clocked a three-run shot over the fence in left. The scoring concluded in the third with six more runs as Gaines and Dye each hit three-run homers. 

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action next Friday as they travel to Dyersburg State for four games. Friday's games are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET. 

"We just need to keep hitting, stay positive and keep being aggressive," Johnson said. 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics