SOPHOMORE RECOGNITION DAY DOUBLY SWEET FOR COUGARS

The Cougar baseball team honored their sophomores on Saturday by sweeping a doubleheader from the Jackson State Generals by scores of 5-2 and 5-1.  It started with solid pitching performances by two sophomores, Brandon Zajac and Thomas Huddleston, and finished with timely hitting by several players in the sweep.

The first game saw Zajac sit down the first 14 General batters before a walk and home run with two outs would give the visitors two runs.  By that time the Cougars had scored five runs of their own.  DeAndre Allen would reach leading off in the first and eventually score on a Chase Edwards single.  Edwards would then score later on a single by Keith Buckhault for a 2-0 advantage.  

Cleveland State would score single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings to widen the lead.  Cody Hiefnar would score in the second on a J.D. Cowart single.  Edwards would score again in the third on a Buckhault double, and Allen would do all the work in the fourth with a solo home run.

Zajac went the distance, giving up only the two runs on two hits.  He would walk three batters and strike out 14 in the game.  Allen and Buckhault would each have two hits in the game with Buckhault driving in two runs.  

The second game saw the Generals jump out 1-0 in the top of the first inning.  They would hold the lead until the bottom of the sixth inning.  With one out in the inning, Colby Harmon would reach on an infield error.  Buckhault would take an 0-1 pitch and drive it to the opposite field for a two-run home run and the lead.  

Michael Hargrove would follow with a single up the middle.  Hiefnar would then drive a pitch over the left field fence for his own two-run shot.  Back to back singles by Zach Janes and Allen would put runners on the corners.  The final run of the inning came when they executed a double steal with Janes beating the return throw home.

The Generals would lead off the seventh with two singles.  Bobby Towne would come on in relief.  The visitors would load the bases with one out, but Towne would coax an infield popout and a comebacker to the mound to complete the victory.

Edwards, Hiefnar, and Janes each would bang out two hits in the game.  Huddleston would go into the seventh inning, surrendering the one run on five hits.  He would walk one and strike out five.