Cougars Drop Series to Walters State
Cleveland State lost their three game series to top ranked Walters State this past weekend, losing game one 11-4, game two 14-3 and game three by a score of 9-7. This moves the Cougars record to 22-14 (6-9).
Hooper Mills was on the bump in game one for Cleveland State. Mills pitched 6.1 innings, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out 9. Mills took the loss in game one, moving his record to 5-2. Tyler Zak came on in relief, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing 4 earned runs and two walks. Cleveland State scored 4 runs off 6 hits in the first matchup, losing to Walters State by a score of 11-4. Hunter Oliver hit a home run in the 4th inning, Trey Martin scored off an error, Noah Hill and Rhett Baldwin each had an RBI single. Noah Hill and Trey Vanderpool each stole a base as well.
Game two had a similar result for the Cougars, as they lost to Walters State by a score of 14-3. Ryan Lloyd was on the mound for Cleveland State in this one. Lloyd pitched 3.2 innings, allowing 8 earned runs while striking out 5. Lloyd took the loss, moving his record to 1-4 on the season. The Cougars faced a 2-0 deficit in the 2nd inning against Walters State, but thanks to a Hunter Oliver RBI Single and a Joey Roberson 2-RBI single, they took a 3-2 lead. The top ranked Senators responded by putting up 12 runs in the 4th inning, thus ending the game with a 14-3 final.
Ryan Inches was on the mound for Cleveland State in game 3, pitching 4 innings, allowing 4 earned runs, 3 walks with 1 strikeout. Inches took the loss in game three, moving his record to 6-2 on the season. Collin Grove, Greg Tye and Justin Coleman pitched in the game as well, collectively allowing 5 earned runs, 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. The Cougars started off fast with 2 quick runs in the top of the 1st inning, thanks to Brandon Mason scoring on a passed ball and a Rhett Baldwin RBI single. After a pair of scoreless innings, the Senators tied the game up at 2 a piece in the 4th inning. Rhett Baldwin smacked an RBI double in the 5th inning, breaking the tie and giving the lead back to the Cougars. Walters State responded in the 5th inning, putting up 7 runs off of 4 hits, taking a 9-3 lead over the Cougars. Cleveland State made a strong effort to climb back, Brandon Mason and Hunter Oliver each had an RBI single in the 6th inning while Oliver scored off a bases loaded hit by pitch. Logan Peterson also scored off of a wild pitch in the 6th, moving the score to 9-7 in favor of the Senators. After scoreless bottom of the 6th and top of the 7th, Walters State took the win with a final score of 9-7.
The Cougars are now 22-14 on the season and 6-9 in league play. Cleveland State currently sits in 7th in the conference standings. The Cougars will look to turn things around as they take on West Georgia Technical College in a doubleheader at home starting at 1:00 PM.
