WALTERS SWEEPS HIGHLANDS TO WIN APPALACHIAN DISTRICT

The Walters State baseball team took the Appalachian District Championship this past week as they defeateed host Georgia Highlands in two straight games to advance to the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series.  They defeated Highlands by a 12-4 score in the first game, and completed the sweep with a 9-6 victory on the second day.

In the first game win, the Senators exploded in the top of the second inning with five runs as Brady Dalton drew a bases loaded walk followed by a Holden Pantier grand slam two batters later.  They would expand the lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings.  After Highlands cut the score to 7-4, Walters would score two runs in the top of the sixth on a Miles Shore RBI double and a ground out by Hayden Blair.  They would score their final three runs in the top of the ninth as Jackson Berry would lace an RBI single and Jaxon Walker would belt a two run home run.

Walters would have 13 hits in the game with Berry adding a double and two more singles to his four hits.  Pantier and Shore each would have two hits in the game.  Pantier would end the day with 5 RBIs.  Berry would score three times in the game.

Brady Scott go the win on the mound for the Senators.  He went the first four innings, surrendering four earned runs on 12 hits with six strikeouts and no walks.  Ryan Smith would go the final two innings, giving up one hit with one walk and three strikeouts.

In the clinching game, it was the Pantier show.  He would hit three solo home runs as the Senators would hit six as a team.  The chargers took a lead in the first, but Pantier hit the first in the bottom of the inning.  Shore and Graham would each a home run in the second to tie the contest, and Pantier would give them the lead with a solo shot in the fourth inning.  Highlands would take a 6-5 lead in the top of the fifth, but Drew Blalock would even it up with his own solo shot, and take the lead for good on a fielder's choice groundout.  Pantier would add insurance in the sixth inning as he launched a two run home run.  

The Senators wwould have 15 hits in the game led by Pantier and shore with three hits each in the game.  Kole Fenton, Blair, and Graham each had two hits.  Pantier finished with four RBIs and scored three runs.  Shore had two RBIs and scored twice in the win.

Major Osbolt got the win as he went the first six innings in the game.  He gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.  Sam Martell got the save as he went the final three innings.  He gave up two hits with five strikeouts.