No. 5 Walters State goes 1-1 at first day of JUCO Kickoff Classic

MADEIRA BEACH, FL – No. 5 Walters State picked up a 17-7 win over Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon at the JUCO Kickoff Classic, before falling 8-3 to No. 20 Sante Fe in the nightcap. 

With the split, the Lady Senators moved to 3-1 on the season. 

GAME ONE: No. 5 Walters State 17, Hillsborough 7 (5 Innings)

In game one of the day, Walters State scored 15 runs in the first inning and cruised to the five-inning win.

Addison Beech, Allie Seritt, Abbie Young, Imari Golden and Kendal Mason all homered in the game for the Lady Senators. Seritt drove in four runs, while Golden had three RBIs. Young and Serritt each had two hits, as well.

In the circle, Emma Myatt got the start and threw two innings. Myatt gave up two runs on five hits and struck out one. Summer Smith replaced Myatt in the third and threw the final three innings, allowing five runs, only one earned, on five hits while striking out one. 

Hillsborough struck first in the opening inning with a run, but the Lady Senators responded with 15 of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Beach led the bottom of the first off with a home run, and Alayna Ross doubled home two runs three batters later to make it 3-1. The lead was 6-1 following a three-run home run by Golden, and Seritt made it back-to-back homers with a solo shot. Mason then got in on the home run parade with a three-run shot that extended the lead to 10-1, and Seritt made it 13-1 with a bases-clearing double. The final two runs came on a two-run home run by Young. Walters State sent 18 batters to the plate in the inning. 

The Lady Senators picked up their final two runs in the bottom of the second, as Brenna Hunley singled in Beech, and Emma Keck walked with the bases loaded. From there, the Lady Senators held a double-digit lead to end the game in five.

GAME TWO: No. 20 Sante Fe 8, No. 5 Walters State 3

In game two of the day, the Lady Senators picked up just five hits as they took their first loss of the season.

Mason led the way at the plate with a two-run home run, her third of the season. Golden drove in the only other run in the game for Walters State.

In the circle, Makayla Ramsey got the start and threw six innings. Ramsey allowed six runs on nine hits and struck out two. Lauren Ruehl pitched the final inning, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out one.

Sante Fe scored two runs in the top of the first, but the Lady Senators answered with three in the bottom half of the inning. Beech walked to lead things off, and Mason hit one over the fence in center to tie the game at two. Ross then doubled with one out, and Golden smoked a two-out RBI single to give Walters State the lead.

Unfortunately, Sante Fe scored two in the fourth, two in the sixth and two in the seventh to pull away. 

Up Next:

Walters State will play two more games at the JUCO Kickoff Classic on Sunday. The Lady Senators will take on St. Petersburg College at 11:30 am ET, before closing things out against No. 7 Florida Southwestern at 2 pm ET.