Cleveland State softball (24-20, 15-17) won their first scheduled game of the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association Region 7 Tournament by beating the #4 seed Motlow State Lady Bucs 5-2 on Sunday, May 6. The # 5 seed Cougars used the five hit pitching of Shiann Stockwell who won her 16th game of the season.
The Cougars started the scoring in the 2nd inning sending seven batters to the plate when Cleveland State catcher Baylee Woods started the rally with a two out single up the middle. Woods moved to third on a single by Emily Yell, a walk to Sadie Coons and finally scored when Stockwell was hit by a pitch. Rachel Pierce followed Stockwell with a walk, loading the bases again setting up a Yell score who came home on a pass ball.
Back to back homeruns in the Cougar half of the 3rd pushed Cleveland State's lead to 4-0. Macy Bryant led off with a two strike homer to left, followed by Cortney Mooneyham who lined her own two strike pitch over the left field fence.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning the Lady Bucs would plate one run as they strung together a single, double and sacrifice fly, cutting the score to 4-1.
The Cougars continued their scoring in the 4th making the score 5-1when Coons would single to left and move to third on a sacrifice bunt by Stockwell, a ground out to first base by Pierce, coming home on an RBI double to left center by Grayson Brown. Cleveland State would leave the bases loaded as Bryant walked and Mooneyham was hit by a pitch but were stranded on an infield pop out to end the inning.
Motlow scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 5th moving the score to the final of 5-2 as in the 6th and 7th Stockwell faced only seven batters inducing four groundouts, 1 pop out and one strikeout ending the game, keeping the Cougars in the winners bracket of the double elimination tournament.
Cleveland State used a balanced attack on the game led by Yell who had two hits and Stockwell, Brown, Bryant, Mooneyham who was also hit by a pitch, Woods and Coons with two hits each. Pierce reached base three times with two walks and a hit by pitch while Bryant and Coons also had two walks each.
The Cougars next scheduled game in the tournament is on Monday, May 7 at 5:30 p.m. as they await the winner of a 10 a.m. game between #1 seed Chattanooga State and Roane State.
Games are played on the campus of Chattanooga State. Admission is $7 per day or a $20 tournament pass.