Cougars Baseball Loses Two of Three at Southwest Tennessee

Cleveland State won the first game of the series, but were swept in their double header at Southwest Tennessee.

The Cougars (19-17, 11-10) took game one 9-8, but lost 5-3 and 4-2 in both games Friday against the Saluqis (24-12, 12-6).

Cleveland State went down 5-1 after two innings, but third baseman Evan Goins hit a grand slam to tie it up in the third inning, giving him a team high five homeruns on the season. The Saluqis regained the lead in the fifth and were up a run heading to the eighth before the Cougars scored three and were able to hold on for the victory.

"Big comeback win," Cleveland State head baseball coach Aaron Bryant said.

Starter Adam Baker lasted just two innings in game one for Cleveland State, his shortest outing of the season.

Logan Bryson (1-0) picked up his first victory of the year going three innings allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out three and walking two. Eric Enerlich earned his fourth save of the season closing the final inning striking out a batter and shutting out the Saluqis.

Designated hitter Will Phipps doubled in the game. Second baseman Aiden McClary went 2-3, scoring twice, driving in a run, walking twice and adding a couple more stolen bases to his league leading 26.

The Cougars scored three runs off the bat in the top of the first in game one of Friday's double header, but their bats turned cold not scoring again until the fourth inning of the second game of the day.

"Didn't play very well today to lose both," Bryant said. "Left a lot of guys on base and the bullpen wasn't very good."

Right fielder Caleb Gipson doubled driving in two in game one while first baseman Nelson Mcknight also doubled. Turner Junkins (4-4) suffered the loss pitching six innings allowing five earned runs on four hits while striking out three and walking four.

Four of the Saluqis runs came from a grand slam hit by shortstop Logan Luckett. He is currently second in the league with 12 homeruns.

Gipson hit a two-run shot over the fence in the fourth inning of the final game of the series. Max Owens started, pitching five innings allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out seven and walking four. Will Webb (1-2) suffered the loss allowing three earned runs.

SW Tennessee's Brayden Stewart earned his fifth victory of the season moving him to third in the conference in that category pitching a complete game allowing six hits while striking out six and walking three.

Cleveland State returns home to face first place Walters State (32-5-1, 14-4) on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.

Edwin Bear
Cleveland State Community College
Sports Information/Media Relations