Cleveland State won the first and third games of their three-game home conference series against Motlow State this weekend.
The Cougars (23-10, 9-6) put together a six-run eighth inning to win game one 7-3, couldn't come back losing 5-3 in game two and won the series on a bases loaded walk-off base hit in the final game.
Game One
It was scoreless until the fourth inning when Kaleb Gupton hit a three-run homer to put the Bucks (14-15, 4-10) on the scoreboard first.
Cooper Casteel would finish out the inning after allowing the homer and pitched the fifth as well before Austin Miller came in relief in the sixth. Casteel went five innings allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking two.
After making a diving defensive play to end the bottom of the fifth, Will Webb singled home Nick Iezzi for Cleveland State's first run off Motlow State's starting pitcher Caden Alvey.
Alvey pitched seven innings allowing one earned run on nine hits while striking out four and walking three. Once he left the game is when the Cougars bats came alive.
Cleveland State scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth off the Bucks bullpen pitchers Mason Bell and Bryson Hammons. Bell suffered the loss after losing the lead against the five batters he faced.
Webb drove in another run plating Hunter Ryan, then he scored on a Kain Collins fielder's choice. Collins came home on a wild pitch, Evan Goins crossed the plate on an error hit by Riley Orr, then Bryson Trammell hit a two-run homer over the left field fence scoring Orr.
Miller (2-1) earned the victory pitching four innings allowing no runs on one hit while striking out five and walking one.
Game Two
It took until the sixth inning for any runs to be scored in game two.
Andrew Kribbs (4-2) held the Bucks scoreless until John Hale hit a solo homerun and Gupton hit a three-run shot for his second homer of the series. Kribbs suffered the loss going six innings allowing four earned runs on five hits while striking out nine and walking three.
Webb came across the plate on an error by the second baseman in the bottom of the sixth when Cannon Stafford put the ball in play.
In the top of the final inning C.J. Robertson, the conference's fourth leading batter hitting .389 on the season, doubled home Hale. Zane Brown pitched the final inning for the Cougars allowing one earned run on three hits.
Trammell hit his second homerun of the series in the bottom of the seventh, then Iezzi doubled and came home on a wild pitch, but it wasn't enough to overcome Motlow State's lead.
The win went to Nic Schutte (3-1) pitching a complete game three hitter allowing two earned runs while striking out 11 and walking two.
Game Three
It didn't take long for the Cougars to get going in the rubber match of the series scoring three in the bottom of the first.
Collins came home on a wild pitch, Webb scored on a bases loaded walk and Stafford crossed the plate on an Orr sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Connor Fugate started for the Bucks, but was unable to record an out walking four of the five batters he faced. Carson Cheek finished out the inning striking out one of the two batters he saw.
It took until the sixth inning for another run to be scored. Grant Godwin doubled driving in Tanner Jones, then scored along with Robbie Gallardo on a single hit by Luke Johnson.
Austin Breedlove went 5.2 innings allowing three earned runs, all in the sixth, on five hits while striking out 10 and walking five. Ben Norton (3-0) earned the victory pitching the final 1.1 innings allowing no hits or runs while striking out three and walking none.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the final inning, Orr hit a walk-off single bringing home Webb to win the series.
Ryder Morey (2-2) suffered the loss going 5.1 innings allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out six and walking four. Jack Fortner came in relief recording a strike out of Iezzi, but walked one and allowed two hits against the three other batters he faced, including the game winner.
What's Next
The Cougars are in fourth place in the conference with a home weekend conference series looming where with a sweep they can overtake third place Chattanooga State (30-7, 11-4). First pitch of game one is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m. Games two and three are Saturday starting at noon.
Cleveland State will hit the field again before this weekend hosting a non-conference double header against Brett Carroll Academy on Wednesday. The two met back on February 27 with the Cougars winning both games of that double header 6-0 and 3-1. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
