Casey Mannion’s two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning trumped Matt Harrell’s solo shot in the top half Saturday, and Chattanooga State went on to defeat nationally ninth-ranked Walters State 2-1 in the first game of the weekend baseball series matching the TCCAA leaders.
Then the 18th-ranked Tigers (28-8, 13-4) won 9-4 with Mannion hitting another two-run homer to assure they’ll own first place alone regardless of the outcome of today’s 1 p.m. finale at Chattanooga State. Walters is 24-12, 11-6.
Tyler McClure was the winning pitcher in the opener with Adam Weldon getting the save. Former Chattanooga State player Taylor Patterson from Murray County pitched a four-hitter in defeat. Weldon also got a save in game two, when Tyler Troutt had the win.
* Cleveland State 3-5, Motlow 1-1: At Cleveland, the Cougars completed a weekend TCCAA sweep with strong pitching from Jeb Scoggins and Thomas Huddleston and Michael Hargrove’s two-run homer in the first game and RBI double in the second.
Dalton Rogers’ sacrifice fly began the scoring in the finale, and he, Cody Hiefnar and Keith Buckhault had RBIs in the three-run third inning for Cleveland State (22-13, 10-7). Clayton Palicki homered in the first game for Motlow (19-18, 5-13).