COUGARS SPLIT WITH VOLUNTEER STATE

The Cougars traveled to Gallatin (TN) for their three-game weekend conference series against the Pioneers of Volunteer State.  The Cougars prevailed in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader 4-3, but fell in the nightcap 4-0.

Cleveland State built a 4-0 lead in the first game when they scored single runs in the second and third innings as Cody Hiefnar homered in the second and Chase Edwards scored on an infield groundout.  The Cougars would add two more in the fifth as Hiefnar would drive in Evan Speicher with a single and then Edwards would score late on a DeAndre Allen sacrifice play.

Volunteer State would close the gap in the sixth inning as they scored their three runs in that inning.  Things got exciting in the bottom of the seventh for both teams as Chase Edwards would gun down the tying run at the plate for the final out of the game.

Brandon Zajac would get the win for the Cougars as he pitched the first six innings.  He surrendered on four hits with eight strikeouts and three walks and only one earned run.  Bobby Towne would come in the seventh to get the save thanks to Edwards' heroics in the field.

Edwards would lead the team with three hits in the game while Hiefnar and Speicher each rapped out two hits.  Hiefnar would fnish with two RBIs.

In the second game, Cleveland State could muster only four hits in the game.  Volunteer State would take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and then add another two runs for insurance in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Edwards, Speicher, Dalton Rogers, and Zach Janes each had a single hit in the contest.  Thomas Huddleston was the tough luck loser, but pitched six innings giving up eight hits and three earned runs.