Lady Cougars Go 1-3 vs Walters State
Cleveland State softball (14-17, 6-14) travelled to Morristown TN on Friday March 30 and Saturday March 31 and went 1-3 vs. conference rival Walters State winning game one 2-0 and losing games two, three and four 8-6, 3-2 and 9-7 respectively.
Cougar pitcher Shiann Stockwell (11-7) struck out nine in the 2-0 game one victory as the Cougars out hit the Lady Senators six to four, scoring two runs in the top of the 6th inning. Hailey Galvan and Rachel Pierce led off the 6th with singles followed by a ground out RBI by Macy Bryant driving home Galvan and a run scoring single off the bat of Cortney Mooneyham plating Pierce. Galvan had two hits on the game while Pierce, Grayson Brown, Mooneyham and Emily Yell each had one.
Cleveland State would win the battle of hits, once again out hitting Walters State nine to seven but they would losing the war of runs coming up short on an 8-6 loss in game two. The Cougars took a short lived 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th inning when Bryant singled, moved to second on a pass ball, then to 3rd on a Mooneyham single and finally scored on a Tori Ogle sacrifice fly. The Lady Senators would answer by scoring two in their half of the 4th and then tacking on 6 more runs in the 5th inning moving the score to 8-1.
The Cougars would answer in the 6th when Mooneyham would hit a 2-run homerun off the score board plating herself and Brown who had walked to lead off the inning. Things would get interesting in the 7th as Coach Willingham's bunch would send seven players to the plate, scoring three more runs. Brown singled home Sadie Coons who had reached on a fielders choice and Bryant would single home Brown and Galvan who had walked in what would be the final scoring on the game. The Cougar 9-hit attack included two each by Pierce, Bryant and Mooneyham while Brown, Ogle and Yell would each have one.
On the second day of conference play vs. Walters State would be a good ole fashion pitcher's duel with Cougar softball eventually taking a 3-2 loss in eight innings of game three. Stockwell would strike out 12 while giving up only four hits as Cleveland State would have five hits of their own on the game.
With Cleveland State down 2-0 in the 5th, Stockwell would help her own cause by belting a 2-run homerun over the right center field fence driving home Mooneyham who had led off the inning with an infield single. With the score tied at two in the 7th the Cougars rallied putting two on base with one out on a single by Baylee Woods and a Stockwell walk only to strand them with Walters scoring one run in their half of the 8th for the win. Brown had two hits while Pierce who walked twice, Mooneyham, Woods and Stockwell each had one.
The final game of the series started with much promise as Bryant belted a 3-run homerun in the 1st inning deep over the left field fence. Galvan led off the game with a first pitch singe followed by a bunt single by Pierce setting up the three RBI at bat for Bryant. Walters State would cut the lead to one by the 3rd inning but the Cougars would answer in the 4th on a lead off left field homerun by Ogle moving the lead to 4-2.
Walters State scored three in their half of the 4th giving the Lady Senators a 5-4 lead. Cleveland State would have an answer in the top of the 5th when Pierce walked, Brown singled, Bryant walked loading setting up a 2-run scoring single by Mooneyham who hit a flyball that hit high off the fence. Following a single by yell, Ogle sacrificed home Bryant who came in from third base giving eh Cougars a 7-5 lead. In the 6th Cleveland State would see Walters take a two run lead with four runs scoring in what was the final 9-7 Lady Senator win. Galvan, Mooneyham and Yell each had two hits while Pierce, Brown, Bryant and Ogle each had one.
Lady Cougar softball is set to host the Volunteer State Lady Pioneers in home conference play on Friday, April 6th with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 2:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. and on Saturday, April 7th at 12:00 P.M. and 2:00 P.M.
