Cleveland State swept their double header today at Roane State.
In the process the Cougars (20-9, 6-5) jumped the Raiders (20-15, 6-5) in the conference standings.
Game One
Cannon Stafford started off his strong day at the plate driving in the game's first run when he grounded to shortstop bringing home Evan Goins. Roane State capitalized on a Cougar error to tie the game at one after one.
Stafford put the Cougars back on top in the fourth with a solo homerun. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth starting pitcher Cooper Casteel walked a run home knotting it up at two.
Fresh back from injury leadoff man, and the league's leading base stealer Kain Collins singled in Hunter Ryan making it a 3-2 ball game. In the top of the sixth Bryson Trammell doubled home Stafford to double up on the Raiders 4-2.
Casteel (2-0), coming off being named TCCAA/NJCAA Pitcher of the Week after his no-hitter against Jackson State last Saturday, finished going five innings allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out eight and walking four earning his second victory of the year.
In the bottom of the sixth a run was balked home to bring Roane State within a run. In the top of the seventh Goins brought in Nate Dunfee on a fielder's choice to give Cleveland State some breathing room.
Eric Enerlich went .2 innings allowing no earned runs on two hits. Ben Norton picked up the save going the final 1.1 inning allowing no runs on one hit while walking two.
Game Two
Stafford was back at it in game two doubling in the top of the first plating Collins. Jacob Cooper scored in the third inning on a wild pitch and in the fourth Dunfee singled in Cooper.
It took until the sixth for the Raiders to get on the board. Roane State scored twice in the inning, once on a ground out to short stop and the other run came in on a wild pitch.
Andrew Kribbs (4-1) allowed two earned runs in six innings of work allowing one hit while striking out eight and walking two picking up his fourth win of the season.
Stafford hit another solo home run in the seventh for an insurance run that the Cougars needed. In the bottom of the seventh the typically reliable closer Logan Bryson walked three while allowing one earned run on one hit and striking out one getting two outs before he was pulled for Zane Brown who came in for the final out and earned the save.
Stafford was 5-7 on the day with two homeruns, three runs scored, four runs batted in and two doubles.
Final Game of the Series Tomorrow
Game three of the series is tomorrow at Roane State with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
