Cougar Softball's first conference road weekend was a success as they took three games from Jackson State 8-2, 7-3 and 10-7. The game schedule with two on Friday March 10 and two on Saturday March 11 had one blemish as the second game on Saturday was rained out. The wins moved Cleveland State's conference record to 7-0 and overall mark to 14-5.
Game One Recap… Friday March 10
Hadley Burnette won her seventh game of the season striking out 10 Green Jays as the Cougars scored two in the first inning, four in the fifth and two in the seventh for the 8-2 win. Kristen Fowler was 2-for-3 including two homeruns with the second an inside the park shot lined down the right field line. Fowler had four RBI's on the game while Abby Young, Shelby Sullivan, Abby Starnes and Ally Starnes had one each.
Cleveland State's hitting attack included three by Sullivan, two each by Young and Fowler with Hope Ingle, Carlynn Atamaniuk, Abby Starnes and Taylor Hancock each with one. Three doubles came off the bat of Ingle, Young and Sullivan.
Game Two Recap… Friday March 10
Ingle started game two with a centerfield homerun as the Cougars would never trail in the eventual 7-3 win. It was Ingle again in the seventh inning as she blasted another homerun this time a two-run shot giving her a perfect 4-for-4 on the game.
The Cougars scored single runs in the first, second, third, fifth and sixth innings while Jackson State struck for one in their half of the fifth and two in the sixth.
Fowler added to her first day hit parade as she had three hits including two doubles. Young and Ally Starnes had two hits each while Atamaniuk and Vogel each had one. Ingle plated three, Young drove home two while Ally Starnes and Whitney Lee each had one.
First year Cougar Kylie Hayes started and won her first game of the season throwing 5.1 innings retiring the first eight batters she faced. Bailee Phillips finished the game throwing 1.1 innings in grabbing her first save of the season.
Game One Recap… Saturday March 11
Down 1-0 going into the third inning catcher Taylor Hancock led off with a left centerfield homerun her first of the season. The Green Jays came back with one of their own in the third two take a short-lived lead as the Cougars tied the score in the fourth when Sullivan led off with a single and came around to score on an RBI fielder's choice by Hancock.
For Cleveland State it was four in the sixth and four in the seventh leading to the 10-7 win as Jackson scored two in the sixth and three in the seventh. Ingle, Sullivan and Ally Starnes each had three hits while Atamaniuk, Abby Starnes, Hancock and Vogel had two hits each. Fowler has one hit to round out the attack. Vogel and Hancock each had three RBI's while Ingle, Fowler and Ally Starnes had one each.
For the win Burnette won her eighth game of the year while striking out seven. Game two on the day was rained out after two innings of play to end the series at three wins for the Cougars.
What's Next
The Cougars next competition is set for Friday March 17 and Saturday March 18 as they play host to conference rival Roane State in doubleheaders on both days. Currently Roane has a conference mark of 3-5 and an overall record of 7-15.
Home games are played on the campus of Cleveland State at Cougar Softball Field. There is an $8 admission charge for the general public with no charge to the Cleveland State students.
