COUGARS CLAW GAME FROM DYERSBURG STATE
DYERSBURG – They may have suffered a doubleheader loss on Sunday, but Cleveland State battled back to take game three from No. 2 in the nation Dyersburg State.
DYERSBURG – They may have suffered a doubleheader loss on Sunday, but Cleveland State battled back to take game three from No. 2 in the nation Dyersburg State.
It was a close game, but in the end, it was the Cougars (30-16, 12-12) who handed the Eagles (40-5,21-2) a 6-5 loss.
"We were able to salvage the final game of the series," Cleveland State coach Mike Policastro commented.
The Eagles took a 4-0 lead after the first inning and held the Cougars off the board until the fourth inning, where a single from Brandon Mason drove Jordan Ransom and Devon Gardner in to cut their deficit to 4-2. Grant Crosby took over duties from the mound after the first inning, relieving Cory Linz. In six and one third innings, Crosby struck out nine Eagle batters.
"He gave us seven really good innings to keep us in the game," Policastro said.
Dyersburg picked up an additional run in the fifth inning, which proved to be their final one of the game.
In the seventh inning, the Cougars put up two more runs on the scoreboard thanks to a two-run homer from Noah Hill.
Trailing 5-4, Cleveland State put in work during the ninth inning to nab the come-from-behind win. Devon Gardner had a two-out, two-run single which gave the team the tying and winning runs.
Walker Malone (2-0) came in during the eighth inning to get the win following a scoreless eighth and Greg Tye closed out the game to get his fifth save of the season.
Gardner was 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI, Mason, who had a double, was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Hill was 1-for-4 in the game, with his home resulting in two RBIs.
Cleveland State's final series of the season will be on Thursday and Friday against Jackson State. Friday will include a sophomore recognition ceremony prior to the start of the game.
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