The Columbia State Chargers entered the three-game series with Motlow State Friday knowing they were going to face the best homer hitting team in the country. The Bucks entered game one with 66 round-trippers, which was tops in the NJCAA. And if game one was a sign of things to come, this series was going to be historic.
Game one was a slug-fest. The Chargers would get rolling in this important weekend with great combined pitching. The pressure of pitching to the nations #1 home run hitting club came down to, I guess you can say, the Chargers part time hurler Daniel Freeman, but I’ll get to that in a moment.
In the first game of the series CSCC and Motlow State were scoreless in the first two frames. In the third the Bucks get on the scoreboard with a run off a single by John Mangini scoring Patrick Music and it was 1-0. CSCC answered quickly as power hitter Ethan Cady connects for his 8th homer of the season to tie the game. Good crowd for this game and the fans were still settling in, and really didn’t know what was in store. What was in store was a nearly four-hour game! As the contest moved in to the third the Bucks had visions of RBI’s dancing in their heads. It started with back-to-back-to-back-to-back singles by Colin Smith, De’Andre Pitts, Jake Chaney and Patrick Music (scoring Smith) 2-1 Motlow. Paul Rahman lines out to left and scores Pitts on the play making it 3-1. Their fourth run came from Paul McIntosh. A sac-fly to right plating Chaney. 4-1.
This game was packed with timely-hitting, great plays and superb pitching. And the hot bats continued for the Chargers as they moved to the fifth. Alex Vazquez led off with a walk, at the right time as it would be followed by a towering two-run shot off the bat of Haddon Adams (1) and it was now 4-3. A Devin Symlar single was next, Bryce Giles was hit-by-pitch and CSCC had two on and no outs. Elliot Curtis was next with a 2-RBI single (42nd &43rd) scoring Symlar and Giles. The “timely-hitting” continued for Justin Carlin on a shot up the middle plating Curtis and the Chargers added one more run in the top of the 6th on a single by Adams, driving in Vazquez and were now up 7-4. But it would be short-lived.
In the Motlow State part of the 6th the Bucks pounded out four hits which included two home runs by Paul McIntosh and Troy Weatherly, Motlow’s most prolific power hitters, scoring 6 runs to take the lead 10-7. This game was a baseball fan’s delight. As the Chargers stepped in to the 7th, their bats continued to sizzle. The Bucks’ lead was cut to 10-8 on an RBI single by Justin Carlin. and that would be it for either team until CSCC added two more in the 9th to tie the game at 10 off hits by Carlin and Cady plating Symlar and Giles respectfully. In the 10th both teams were shut down at the plate and the game moved to the 11th.
The 11th began with a leadoff walk to Bryce Giles and a double by Elliot Curtis driving in the Charger centerfielder, 11-10 C-State. With 2 down came another timely-hit from Ethan Cady and the “Cardiac Kids” led 12-10 as Curtis scores. As the game moved to the bottom of the 11th, CSCC had Daniel Freeman on the mound. The Smyrna Tennessee freshman fanned the first batter faced, gave up a single and then got the next two Bucks hitters to fly out to end the game.
Game 2
The Chargers trailed after one 3-0 but answered in in the 2nd with 6-runs highlighted by a Alex Vazquez 2R home run, his first of the season. CSCC’s hurler Keegan Foge was ON to say the least. The Murfreesboro Tennessee sophomore had a complete game. Foge allowed 4 runs on 7 hits but struck out 11 of the 29 Motlow batters faced improving his record to 2-0.
In the game, with a lead of 6-3, CSCC got a runner across in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th innings. In winning game 2 Columbia State overtook the Bucks for 2nd in the TCCAA. Game 3 was icing on the cake.
Game 3
CSCC scored early, as their bats continued to fry the Buck pitchers. Chargers score 3 in the 1st. Daniel Freeman with a single plating Haddon Adams. Ethan Cady doubles in Elliot Curtis and Freeman, 3-1. In the 2nd inning Haddon Adams with a solo HR (1) making it 4-1 into the 5th. In the frame Freeman homers with Elliot Curtis on to make it 6-1. Cady would also score on an error and C-State led 7-1. The game was also highlighted by a homer by Justin Carlin (4) and Motlow State with a late homers by Weatherly in the 6th and Paul Rahman in the 7th. The Chargers hang on with. 9-6 win and sweep of Motlow State and a 11-4 record and 2nd place behind Walters State (14-0) in the TCCAA.
In the three games Columbia State scored 31 runs off of 35 hits.
Next conference opponent is Chattanooga State Friday (2pm) and Saturday (noon) April 6th & 7th.(Live on TSN)
CSCC’s meeting with Walters will be away on April 13 & 14.
Columbia State’s next game is at home vs Wallace State-Hanceville Wednesday April 4 at 3pm. This game will be LIVE on TennesseeSportsNet.com.