Columbia State Head Coach Mike Corn continues to prepare his squad for what lies ahead. It’s been an award-winning coaching job the last month!
The Columbia State Chargers (26-21) baseball team entered the TCCAA Region VII Tournament on a roll winning their last 4 out of 5 games which included a two-game sweep of Volunteer State to advance them to the region. On Monday the Chargers opened tourney play against a team they hadn’t played in over a year the #2 NJCAA ranked Senators of Walters State(54-5). And for Columbia State skipper Mike Corn his guys would show no let-down as they take down the highly ranked Senators 8-6 in an opening game where they never trailed.
CSCC quickly got on the board in the 1st inning on a Mitchel Smith single scoring Joey Parliament (2-4 3R,2-2B) 1-0 Chargers. The Senators answered in the 2nd as Lukas Cook singled in Nick Block and the game was tied 1-1. The Chargers would take the lead for good in the 4th as Wade Richardson hits a 2-run homer scoring Preston Ford as CSCC takes a 3-2 lead. The next couple of innings would also be good for the Chargers as they added 2 in the 5th and 6th innings to take a 5-2 lead. Jackson Jarvis (2-5 3rbi,1R HR) connected on his 7th homer of the year scoring Haven Mangrum producing RBI’s 30 and 31 in the 5th and then in the 6th Jarvis reached base on an error which plated Smith and Parliment giving the Chargers a commanding 7-2 lead.
The Senators down 5 had their backs to the wall and would move the contest closer in the 6th. With 2 on lead-off batter Caleb McNeely blasted a three-run shot scoring Silas Bulter & Noah Gent cutting the Chargers lead to 7-6.
Columbia State would add another run in the 8th on another Senators’ error (3) as Jarvis once again reaches base scoring Parliment putting Columbia State up 2, 8-6.
Raleigh Odle picked up the W going 5.2 innings on the mound for the Chargers allowing 6 runs on 8 hits striking out three. Hunter Mann in relief struck out four while not giving up a hit or run in 3.1 innings. Also one big outcome in this game was NJCAA Home Run leaders (22) Jerry Hammons 1-4 HR 2rbi & SO and Alberto Osuna (RBIs-94) went 0-3 with a BB & SO.
TSNSports spoke to Head Coach Mike Corn and got his reaction to a great opening game for his squad.