COUGARS WIN SERIES, BUT MISS OUT ON SWEEP
GALLATIN – Cleveland State split their Saturday doubleheader with Volunteer State, but still came away with the series win.
GALLATIN – Cleveland State split their Saturday doubleheader with Volunteer State, but still came away with the series win.
After winning 10-3 on Friday, the Cougars (25-11, 10-8) took the first game of the day 5-3, but were unable to keep the momentum going in third and final game of the series, where they fell 6-4 to the Pioneers (22-14,7-11).
"I feel like we let another opportunity slip through our fingers in game three," Cleveland State head coach Mike Policastro stated.
"We cannot find a way to sustain energy and focus to sweep a series."
The coach was also displeased with his team's defense efforts over throughout the series.
Cleveland State will travel to Georgia on Tuesday to take on West Georgia Technical College in a doubleheader, playing at 1:15 and 3:45.
Game Two
The Cougars opened things up by taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning. They made it a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, but saw the Pioneers tie things up after scoring two runs before the inning was closed out.
Volunteer State took a 3-2 lead after the third inning and held onto it until Cleveland State drove in two runs in the top of the fifth. Their fifth and final run was scored in the sixth inning.
"Our offense was able to battle and find a way to put runs on the board," Policastro commented.
The Cougars had eight hits in the game. John Sharpe was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a homerun. John Hennen went 2-for-4 at the plate, Sean McDermott hit a double, and both Chase Fullington and Hagan Kennedy had an RBI.
Jake Rogers (7-0) threw the whole seven innings, striking out six and giving up five hits and two earned runs.
Game Three
Cleveland State was unable to pull off the series sweep in the third and final game.
Vol State took a 1-0 lead after the second inning but the Cougars answered by scoring three runs in the top of the third. Their hosts drove in two more runs in the bottom of the third, leaving the teams tied at three.
The Pioneers picked up a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, while Cleveland State was only able to put one more run up on the board in the fifth inning.
Cleveland State had eight hits to Vol State's six, but also had five errors in the game while their hosts only had one.
Devon Gardner was 2-for-4 in the game, with two RBIs and a home run. Brandon Mason hit a double, while Sean McDermott and John Hennen each had an RBI.
Corey Linz (3-3) took the loss in the game, giving up six hits and three earned runs.
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