CVCC shortstop Garrison Burress slides safely into third base during the Red Hawks’ first-game victory over Walters State on Sunday at the Legion Fairgrounds./CVCC PHOTO
HobbsDailyReport.com
NEWTON – Catawba Valley Community College suffered its first baseball loss of the season Sunday after beating Walters State to extend its winning streak to six games.
The Red Hawks beat the Senators 5-1 in a nine-inning game to reach a 6-0 record, but Walters State rebounded for an 8-4 victory in a seven-inning game that followed at Legion Fairgrounds in Newton.
CVCC 5, Walters State 1
Behind a three-run home run from third baseman Graham Mitchell and a nine-strikeout performance from pitcher Julian Smith, the Red Hawks defeated the Senators by in Sunday’s first game at Henkel-Alley Field.
Walters State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI triple from Duncan Pence, but CVCC answered in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single from Mitchell that scored Cody Payne.
The Red Hawks gained the lead for good in the third inning on Mitchell’s two-out, three-run homer to right field that scored Jimmy Marcelli and Tyler Campbell.
Smith kept the Walters State bats in check, allowing just two hits, one earned run and one walk \ en route to his second victory of the season.
Red Hawks relievers Harry Hatcher and Nic Messina closed out the final four innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out two.
Campbell added an RBI single in the seventh inning for insurance for CVCC.
Walters State 8, CVCC 4
Tied at 4 through six innings, the Senators used a four-run seventh inning to earn a split.
Dylan Harris and Duncan Pence hit home runs for Walters State. Pence’s two-run blast in the fourth inning scored Tyler Gentry, while Harris’ three-run homer in the seventh inning helped put the Senators ahead for good.
Graham Mitchell, Brett Macchia and Cory Watt led CVCC with an RBI each.
Watt also showed off his defensive prowess, robbing a potential home run by Luke Berryhill in the sixth inning with an over-the-wall catch in right field.
Red Hawks starting pitcher Trae Starnes allowed three hits, two earned runs and struck out four over four innings.
Next game
CVCC travels to Allendale, S.C., for a doubleheader on Wednesday against USC Salkehatchie with a 1 p.m. start.
- Reported by CVCC Sports Information