Eighth-ranked Lady Senators use strong pitching, clutch runs to grab two wins over Dyersburg State

MORRISTOWN, TN – No. 8 Walters State pitched masterfully and hit when they needed to on Thursday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader over Dyersburg State. The Lady Senators won 5-1 in game one and 8-1 in game two.

With the wins, the Lady Senators improved to 39-7 overall and 29-5 in TCCAA play. 

GAME ONE: No. 8 Walters State 5, Dyersburg State 1

In game one, Tori Coffman improved to 17-1 with a 12 strikeout performance. Coffman allowed just one hit and an unearned run. 

It was a scoreless ballgame until the sixth, as Dyersburg got a runner on via an error and scored her on a single. However, Walters State responded with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take control. Nora Mack singled to lead things off and an error put Jules Johnson on and moved Mack to second. Brooklyn Copley then walked to load the bases and a missed tag on an Imari Golden chopper scored a run to tie the game and kept the bases loaded. 

Sarah Evers was next to the plate and gave Walters State the lead, singling to right to score Johnson and make it 2-1. It was 3-1 after a bases-loaded walk to Haidyn Campbell, and 4-1 after a Kendal Mason sacrifice fly. The final run for Walters State came later in the inning, as Kailey Dixon grounded out to score Evers and make it 5-1.

Coffman wasted no time ending the game in the seventh, striking out the side. 

GAME TWO: No. 8 Walters State 8, Dyersburg State 1

In game two, Walters State scored four in the fourth and four in the sixth to pull away and sweep the doubleheader.

Hayley Lawing got the start in the circle and moved to 15-3 with the win. She gave up no runs on five hits and struck out three in 4.1 innings. Coffman replaced her with an out in the fifth and pitched the rest of the way. She gave up one run on one hit and struck out seven. 

At the plate, Mack led the way with two hits and three RBI. Mason drove in two runs, as well.

It was a scoreless game until the fourth, when the Lady Senators broke through with four runs. Evers walked to lead things off, and Campbell was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. Abigail Taylor was next up and loaded the bases with a bunt single, and Dixon gave the Lady Senators a 1-0 lead with an RBI single. 

Mack was next, and she cleared the bases with a three-RBI double that made it 4-0. 

Dyersburg would cut the lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth with a solo homer, but the Lady Senators scored four in the bottom half of the inning. Those runs came on an error that scored Dixon, a Mason two-RBI single and a Campbell RBI single that made it 8-1.

In the seventh, Coffman struck out two and got a groundout to end it. Coffman's first strikeout of the inning was her 200th of the season, despite being out for a month earlier in the season. 

Up Next:

Walters State will play their final two regular season games on Friday at home against Dyersburg State. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics