In a 9-7 loss to Motlow State at the TCCAA Region VII tournament on Wednesday May 11 Cleveland State baseball was eliminated from competition officially ending the 2021-2022 year. Motlow outhit the Cougars 14 to 8 while scoring three runs in the seventh inning erasing what was a 7-6 Cleveland State lead.
In the first inning the Cougars plated three runs on an RBI double from Jacob Robinson, a Ryan Stephens sacrifice fly and a run scoring single off the bat of Andre Tarver. The promising start was short lived as Motlow jumped right back scoring three to tie the
score 3-3.
Bryce Jenkins homered in the second as Cleveland State scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for a 7-6 lead. Runs were scored on a wild pitch, balk and Motlow State error. On the game Motlow had six errors while the Cougars played error free ball.
Tarver led the Cougar hitting with three hits, while Jaylon Jones, AJ Swader, Robinson, Jenkins and Bryce Burkey each had one. Cleveland State won one and lost two in the tournament and finished the season with an overall record of 29-24
The Cleveland State softball team also suffered a close 4-3 loss to Walters State. The Lady Senators scored single runs in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings as the Cougars left seven runners on base for the game.
Down 3-0 going in to the sixth, the Cougars tied the score at three as Hope Ingle led off with a single followed by a Carlynn Atamaniuk double with both being chased home by a booming homerun off the bat of Makala Strickland. It was Stricklands team leading 19 th homerun of the season. Shelby Sullivan followed with a single, Bailee Phillips and Avary weeks both walked but all three were left stranded in what could have even been a bigger inning.
Hit wise the Cougars banged out seven led by Strickland and Sullivan who had two each with Ingle, Atamaniuk and Madison Miner each chipping in with one. Cleveland State won two and lost two in the tournament while finishing the season with an overall record of 29-24.