Johnson homers three times in No. 7 Walters State's split with Cleveland State

MORRISTOWN, TN – No. 7 Walters State split a doubleheader with Cleveland State on Wednesday afternoon. The Lady Senators lost 8-6 in game one but bounced back in game two with a 12-4 win.

With the split, Walters State moved to 33-7 overall and 23-5 in TCCAA play.

"We got the bats going there in that second game," Walters State coach Larry Sauceman said. "I thought Jules really hit the ball well today with those three home runs. We hit early in the first game but just kind of went silent in those middle innings. We'll get back to it and get ready to go again on Saturday."

GAME ONE: Cleveland State 8, No. 7 Walters State 6

In game one, the Lady Senators scored four in the first two innings but couldn't get the bats going in the middle innings in the loss.

In the circle, Makayla Ramsey got the start. Ramsey threw six innings and struck out two. Hayley Lawing replaced Ramsey in the seventh and threw the final inning. 

At the plate, Kailey Dixon led the way with three hits. Along with Dixon, Jules Johnson and Haidyn Campbell hit two-run home runs. 

After a scoreless top of the first, Dixon led off the bottom half of the inning with a double. Dixon moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nora Mack, and Johnson made it 2-0 with a two-run bomb. 

In the second, Walters State doubled their lead. Kendal Mason led off the inning with a single, and Abigail Taylor and Dixon singled to load the bases. Mack was next up and grounded into a double-play but a run scored to make it 3-0. After a walk to Johnson, Brooklyn Copley made it 4-0 with an RBI single. 

However, Cleveland scored two in the third and two in the fourth to tie the game. Cleveland would take a 6-4 lead in the sixth, and an 8-4 lead in the seventh. Down to their final three outs, Walters State got two runs back in the bottom half of the seventh on a Campbell two-run homer. But that was all they could get and fell in the opener.

GAME TWO: No. 7 Walters State 12, Cleveland State 4 (5 Innings)

In game two, Johnson smacked two more home runs as the Lady Senators got the run-rule victory.

Lawing got the start in the circle and gave up four runs in the first inning but was clean the rest of the way, striking out two in five innings of work.

Along with Johnson at the plate, Carley Cook and Copley each hit home runs. 

Cleveland State scored four in the top of the first to grab an early lead, but Walters State scored four of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Dixon and Mack walked to lead off the inning, and Johnson sent them all home with a three-run homer. Two batters later, Cook tied the game at four with a solo shot. 

In the second, Walters State took the lead for good as Johnson hit her second three-run home run of the game to make it 7-4. Following a run in the third on an Emma Keck RBI single, Copley made it 11-4 in the fourth with a three-run bomb. Walters State scored one more time in the fourth, as Jayden Salts singled to score Imari Golden and make it 12-4.

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Saturday, hosting Roane State. The doubleheader is set to begin at 2 p.m. 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics