The Cougars came close to shocking the #2 ranked Walters State Senators in the first round of the TCCAA/NJCAA REgion VII Baseball Tournament as they took them to a third game on Satrday afternoon. they lost the first game on Thursday 13-7 before bouncing back to even the series with 7-5 win on Friday. The Senators got a home run in the bottom of the eigth inning to pull out a 3-2 win to advance and the Cougars season.
It was a case of not being able to hold the Senators bats in check in the first game. Owen Clark took the loss, but the three Cougar pitchers used gave up 13 runs (11 earned), on 14 hits with 6 walks while striking out ten hitters. Cleveland would have six hits in the game, but 4 would go for long distance as Bryce jenkins had tow home runs while Lance Dockery and Kenny Naysmith each had one. Jenkins would have the only multiple hits in the game with three RBIs. Dockery would have three RBIs as well.
The second game would see a gutsy performance from pitcher Daniel Crabtree. He would go the distance, spreading out eight hits, allowing the five runs with two walks and two strikeouts. The Cougars would take the a lead in the fourth they would never relinquish. A single by Courtney Payne followed by bunts by Tate Daniels and Jenkins would plate a run. Ryan McCarthy would deliver a two-run double, and a Caden Smith groundout would give the Cougars a 4-1 lead. Jacob Robinson would push it to 6-4 in the sixth with a two run shot, and Dockery would add insurance with a solo shot in the ninth. Daniels would have three hits in the game while Dockery and Robinson would have two hits.
Dockery would drive in both runs in the third game as the Cougars managed only four hits in the game. His first RBI qwould be a sacrifice fly to score Daniels in the first inning. He would drive in Daniels to tie the score at 2 in th sixth with a double. Robinson would add tow hits in the game. Kaleb Orr got the start and went the distance, surrendering seven hits, three earned runs, with one walk and seven strikeouts.
The Cougars season ends with an overall record of 21-23.
