PREVIEW: Red-Hot Baseball To Face Conference Foe Motlow

Baseball will open a three-game weekend series with conference rival Motlow State tomorrow. Friday's single game will start at 2:00 ET and Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 12:00 ET.

The Cougars (9-7, 3-1 TCCAA) are in a solid stretch of games right now, winning five of their last six games after sweeping Jackson State and Tusculum College as well as splitting their last series 1-1 with Roane State. Their record has them sitting at third in the conference.

Motlow State has also had a solid start to conference play. The Bucks are 13-4 and 4-0 in the conference this year, good for second in the rankings. They are coming off a 6-5 win vs. Chattanooga State on Sunday.

Cleveland State was 2-2 against Motlow State last year, falling 1-2 in the regular season series with the Bucks, but then defeating MSCC in the TCCAA Tournament 10-2.

The Bucks are led by Sam Stohr offensively. Stohr is batting a TCCAA-leading .436 (24-for-55) with a league-leading six home runs and 23 RBI. Their ace Kobe Foster also leads the TCCAA in ERA with a 1.19 mark.

After this series, Cleveland State will travel just 30 minutes north to face the Bryan Lions of Dayton, Tenn.

LAST THREE SERIES:

March 11 at Roane, split 1-1

March 6 vs. Tusculum, won 2-0

March 2 vs. Jackson State, won 2-0

NEXT THREE SERIES:

March 18 at Bryan, DH beginning at 4:00 ET

March 22 & 23 vs. Chatt State, 3/22 at 2:00 ET, 3/23 DH beginning at 12:00 ET

March 26 at Piedmont, doubleheader beginning at 1:00 ET

CSCC TEAM LEADERS:

BA: Tucker Mendenhall, .362

RBI: Lance Dockery, 16

HR: Andrew Carpenter & Lance Dockery, 2

R: Three players, 12

SB: Lance Dockery, 15

ERA: Ryan Inches, 4.43 in 22.1 IP

K: Ryan Inches, 37 in 22.1 IP

MSCC Team Leaders:

BA: Sam Stohr, .436

RBI: Sam Stohr, 23

HR: Sam Stohr, 6

R: Nathan Sanders, 22

SB: Dathan Sanders, 9

ERA: Kobe Foster, 1.19 in 22.2 IP

K: Kobe Foster, 34 in 22.2 IP