Seventh-ranked Lady Senators split doubleheader with Volunteer State

GALLATIN, TN – No. 7 Walters State fell 5-4 in extra innings in game one against Volunteer State on Friday afternoon, but bounced back with an 11-7 win in game two.

With the split, Walters State improved to 30-6 overall and 20-4 in TCCAA play. 

GAME ONE: Volunteer State 5, No. 7 Walters State 4 (8 innings)

In game one, Walters State tied the game in the seventh to send it to extra innings but an error in the bottom of the eighth gave Volunteer State the win. 

Brooklyn Copley led the way for the Lady Senators with a three-run homer. Copley and Nora Mack each had two hits, while Jules Johnson drove in the other run.

In the circle, Hayley Lawing got the start and threw the entirety of the game. Lawing gave up five runs, three earned, on seven hits and struck out three.

The Lady Senators came out flying to start the game as Kailey Dixon walked, stole second and moved to third on a Mack single. That brought up Copley, and she made it 3-0 with a home run.

However, Walters State's bats went quiet and Vol State scored one in the bottom of the first, one in the bottom of the third and hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to grab a 4-3 lead. 

Down to their last three outs, the Lady Senators rallied in the top of the seventh. With one out, Mack got the rally started with a single. Mack then stole second and moved to third on a Copley single. That brought up Johnson and she smacked a ball to shortstop. Mack held until the throw to first, which Johnson beat, and then took off for home. Mack avoided the tag and slid in safely to tie the game at four.

That would be the score until the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and a runner on second, the Lady Senators appeared out of the inning on a groundball. However, the throw to first was wild and Vol State scored to win the game. 

GAME TWO: No. 7 Walters State 11, Volunteer State 7

In game two, Walters State scored seven runs in the fourth and got three big insurance runs in the seventh to take the win. 

Johnson led the way for the Lady Senators in the game with three hits, a home run and four RBI. Copley added two more hits, while Imari Golden had two hits and two RBI.

In the circle, Makayla Ramsey got the start and improved to 4-1 with the win. Ramsey allowed seven runs, three earned, on nine hits and struck out one. 

The Lady Senators got the scoring going in the top of the second, loading the bases and driving in a run with a bases-loaded walk. 

Vol State took a 4-1 lead in the third, but the Lady Senators responded with seven runs, all with two outs, in the top of the fourth to take an 8-4 advantage. Those runs came on a Mack RBI single, a Copley RBI double, a Johnson RBI single, a Golden two-RBI double, an error that scored Sarah Short and an error that scored Golden. 

Vol State chipped away at the lead with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth to make it 8-7, but Walters State got some insurance in the seventh. Dixon led things off with a single and stole second. After a Mack walk and a forceout at third that allowed Copley to reach, Johnson made it 11-7 with a three-run homer. 

From there, Ramsey got the final three outs to grab the win.

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action Saturday for two more games at Volunteer State. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET. 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics