The Cleveland State Lady Cougar softball team got their train back on the track on Friday afternoon as they traveled to Roane State and came back home with a pair of big Region VII Conference wins. The Lady Cougars took game one 5-2 and then outlasted the Raiderettes in a game two slugfest, 10-6 to complete the sweep of the doubleheader.
 
"This was a must have win," explained Lady Cougar coach Katie Willingham. "Our goal was to win each and inning and score some runs.  We accomplished that today. Kelsey Capella pitched a heck of a game and did what she had to do to get our first conference win."
 
Emily Huston walked and came around to score on a single from Amber Swaney to put the Lady Cougars on top in the second inning 1-0.
 
Ciera Belcher reached base on an error and scored ahead of Amber Covington who blasted a two-run homer for a 3-0 Cleveland State lead. Mica Gaines belted a solo shot for the Raiderettes in the fourth, but the Lady Cougars got that run back plus one as Sydney Howell singled and scored in the sixth and Belcher added an RBI to the cause in the seventh for a 5-1 advantage.
 
Melissa Buchanan doubled and scored on a Lady Cougar miscue in the bottom of the seventh, but that would be all as the visitors took game one. Capella got the win allowing only three hits and one earned run for Cleveland State while Gaines took the loss.
 
Covington put the Lady Cougars on top to start game two while another run crossed on an error for a quick 2-0 lead. A wild pitch pushed a run across for Roane State in the second and and RBI single from Brianna Leathers tied the game at 2-2.
 
Amber Swaney singled in the top of the fourth and Jessica Still air-mailed a two-run homer to put Cleveland State back on top 4-2.
 
Roane State got a run closer  in the fourth, but RBI singles from Huston and Meghan Allen and another Raiderette miscue pushed the lead to 7-3.
 
Courtney Taylor crushed a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to draw the Raiderettes to within a run once again at 7-6. But, the Lady Cougars would not be denied on this day as they secured the win with three more runs in the seventh. Ditto capped off an outstanding 4-5 game with a two-run double to finish the game and the sweep.
 
"The girls did a good job of executing with runners on base. We need to be sharper on defense overall, but Ida Watson did a good job on the mound and we gave her some runs to work with."