Sweep of BCA Post Grad
By: Timothy M. Reece, Broadcaster, VolState Sports Network
Game 22 – Wednesday, 3/20/2024 (Gm 1) Volunteer State 8 - BCA Post Grad 1
Volunteer State hosted BCA (Brett Carroll Academy) Post Grad of Knoxville, TN, in a DH at Pioneer Field at the Tim Garrett Baseball Complex. Chip Harris, Freshman RHP, got his 3rd start and had his best outing of the year, throwing 5 innings of shutout, 2-hit baseball. Harris (1-1) walked three, and struck out six enroute to his 1st collegiate win as his teammates put up 4 runs in the third inning, and two each in the 4th and 5th.
In the 3rd inning, Maddox Beckley, BCA Starting Pitcher, walked three of the first four batters. Kanon Lewis, Red-shirt Sophomore DH, then hit a single to RF, driving in 2 runs, and Conner Paul, Freshman 1B, doubled down the RF line, scoring 2 more to give Vol State a 4-0 lead.
In the 4th inning, Corbin Overbay, Sophomore 2B, and Reggie Cooper, Sophomore CF, led off with singles. Stephen Bell, Sophomore RF, then laid down a would-be sacrifice bunt that turned into a base hit, loading the bases. A single to left CF by Zach Zimmerle, Red-shirt Freshman LF, made the score 6-0. However, the Pioneers would not tally again until the 5th inning. Overbay walked and Cooper doubled with one out. Bell's ground ball scored Overbay and Bell reached on the fielder's choice as the throw was late to the plate. Zimmerle then hit a line drive that was dropped by the third baseman. Cooper scored and Zimmerle beat out the throw from 2B in an attempt to end the inning with a double play. Vol State led 8-0.
BCA broke the shutout in the top of the 7th when Kade Walker reached on a strike out and wild pitch by Cooper Anderson, Freshman RHP. Anderson then walked Conner Nelson, but got Dylan Koppy to ground into a fielder's choice. A 2-out single by Caden Channell drove in the only run of the game for BCA. Anderson went 2 innings in relief, giving up only 1 hit and 1 run. He also walked 3 and struck out 6 in his 4th consecutive solid performance in relief. In those 4 outings, Anderson threw 8 innings, giving up only 2 hits and 2 runs. He walked 7, but struck out 16 batters.
Zimmerle finished with a hit, a walk, a stolen base, and 3 RBI's. Lewis and Paul finished with 2 hits and 2 RBI's each. Overbay had a hit, a walk, and scored 2 runs. Cooper had 2 hits, including a double, a walk, a stolen base, and 3 runs scored.
Vol State ended their 3-game losing streak and moved to 8-14 on the season.
Game 23 – Wednesday, 3/20/2024 (Gm 2) Volunteer State 8 - BCA Post Grad 2
Game 2 of the DH saw the Pioneers send 5 Pitchers to the mound, giving up 6 total hits, 2 runs (1 earned), only walking 2, but striking out 8 batters. Noah Eatman, Sophomore RHP, got the start, going 2 innings. He gave up a single and a walk in the 1st inning, but stranded them, getting a pop-out and ground-out to end the inning. After allowing a single in the 2nd, Lex Falsone, Freshman Catcher, picked off the runner on 1B. Eatman struck out the last hitter he faced to complete his outing.
Vol State took the lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning on a solo home run by Corbin Overbay, Sophomore 2B, his 2nd of the year. BCA scored an unearned run in the top of the 4th off Jack McLaury, Freshman RHP, who went 2 innings in relief, striking out 2. BCA then took the lead in the 5th inning, 2-1, on back-to-back hits off Brett Dowling, Sophomore RHP. Falsone ended the inning with his 2nd assist of the game, throwing out a would-be base stealer at 2B.
Trailing 2-1 going to the bottom of the 5th, BCA Pitchers assisted Vol State with three walks and a hit batter to lead off the inning, which tied the game. The Pioneer bats then got hot. Kanon Lewis, Red-shirt Sophomore DH, delivered a 2-run single to RF. An infield single by Conner Paul, Freshman 1B, an RBI double by pinch hitter Stephen Bell, Sophomore OF, and a sacrifice fly by Landon Lutterman, Sophomore 3B, gave the Pioneers a 6-2 lead. A double down the RF line by Reggie Cooper, Sophomore CF, drove in Bell. Cooper then stole 3B and scored on an error, making the score 8-2.
Relief Pitchers Carter Waltz, Freshman LHP, and Caden Blackford, Red-shirt Freshman RHP, each threw one shutout inning. Waltz faced the minimum, striking out 2. Blackford gave up a leadoff hit and a one out walk, but retired the last 2 batters to end the game. Vol State moved to 9-14 on the year. Dowling (1-2) got the victory on the mound, his 1st collegiate win.