Pioneers Drop Series to Chattanooga State
By: Timothy M. Reece, Broadcaster, VolState Sports Network
Game 14 – Sunday, 3/10/2024 Chattanooga State 8 - Volunteer State 2
Chattanooga State (19-4, 2-1), ranked #18 in the country, visited Vol State for a 3-game series that was delayed two days due to rain. Game 1 featured a matchup of two Sophomore Pitchers who had already committed to 4-year schools. Charlie Smith (3-1), for the Tigers, is headed to University of Memphis and Caleb Pica (0-3), for the Pioneers, is bound for Lipscomb University. In this matchup, it would be Smith and the Tigers who would get the better of Pica and the Pioneers.
Vol State struck first in the 1st with an unearned run. Logan Molnar, Sophomore SS, reached on an error and was sacrificed to 3rd. He then scored on a sac fly by Kanon Lewis, Sophomore DH. The Tigers, however, would plate 5 runs in the next frame on only 2 hits as Pica could not find the strike zone, walking 5 batters in the inning. After walking 2 more batters in the 3rd inning, Head Coach Jim McGuire replaced Pica with Jack McLaury, Freshman RHP, who gave up an RBI single, but then induced a ground ball double play to get out of further damage. After 3 innings, Chatt State led 6-1.
Vol State scored their final run of the game in the 5th after two outs. Molnar singled, stole 2nd and scored an unearned run when Brady Knepper, Freshman 2B, reached on an infield error. Chatt State scored 2 more runs in the 6th off McLaury on a walk, two hits, an error, and a fielder's choice. The Pioneers could only manage 2 hits off Smith in his 6 innings of work, the single by Molnar and a double by Conner Paul, Freshman 1B. Cooper Anderson, Freshman RHP, came in and threw a scoreless 7th. Pica (0-4) took the loss and Vol State fell to 5-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
Game 15 – Sunday, 3/10/2024 Chattanooga State 5 - Volunteer State 4
Game 2 of the DH was a winnable game for the Pioneers, however, walks, errors, and an untimely hit batter and a wild pitch sunk Vol State as they lost a heartbreaker to the Tigers. Starting Pitcher Caiden Johnson, Sophomore LHP, threw 2 innings, not allowing a hit, but walking 7 batters. After walking the first 3 he faced in the 1st inning, Johnson struck out the next two and got the next batter to fly out, stranding 3 runners. Johnson was not as fortunate in the 2nd inning, allowing 1 run on 4 walks. He again stranded the bases loaded, but was relieved by Brett Dowling, Sophomore RHP, in the 3rd inning.
After Chatt State took the 1-0 lead, Vol State scored 2 in the bottom of the 2nd, thanks to 3 hit batters by Tiger Starter Reid Leonard, an RBI single by Gage Hoover, Freshman OF, and a bases loaded walk to Corbin Overbay, Sophomore 2B. The Pioneers added to their lead with 2 more runs in the 4th inning, again due to a hit batter, a couple walks, a wild pitch, and an RBI groundout by Overbay.
In the 5th inning, the Tigers matched the 2 runs the Pioneers just scored in the 4th, on two hits, a walk, a fielding error, two passed balls, and a wild pitch. Vol State took a 4-3 lead going into the top of the 7th. Trent Miller, Freshman RHP, had entered for Vol State in the 6th and was in line for his 2nd save of the year. However, the first 3 batters in the 7th reached on a hit batter, walk, and an error that scored the tying run. If not for a great throw from Stephen Bell, Sophomore RF, to home plate to nab another runner, two runs would have scored on the errant throw on the sacrifice bunt attempt. Instead, the batter who reached on the error eventually scored on a wild pitch, giving Chatt State a 5-4 lead.
In the bottom of the 7th, Bell led off with a walk and was sacrificed to 2B, but that was all the further he got as the next two batters were retired. Vol State fell to 5-10 and 1-3. Miller (0-1) took the loss. Pioneer hitters were plunked 4 times in the contest but could only manage 3 hits; the single by Hoover, a double by Bell, and a single by Overbay, who finished with 2 RBI's.
Game 16 – Monday, 3/11/2024 Chattanooga State 15 - Volunteer State 0
Game 3 of the series was more of the same for Vol State as Chatt State scored 15 runs on 13 hits, but were also aided by 11 walks, 3 wild pitches, and a passed ball. The Pioneer bats also stayed mostly silent, collecting only 3 hits in the 7-inning contest, shortened due to the mercy rule.
Logan Molnar, Sophomore SS, led off the 1st with a double down the RF line, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Vol State did not pick up their 2nd hit until the 6th inning when pinch hitter Carson Sanders, Freshman 1B, lined a single to left field. Another pinch hitter, Cam Hodges, Sophomore OF, drilled a double off the centerfield fence with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th, but was stranded there as the last out was made.
Chip Harris (0-1), Freshman RHP, got the start and took the loss, going 2.2 innings, giving up 5 hits, 7 runs, 5 walks and striking out 3. Noah Eatman, Sophomore RHP, Kanon Lewis, Sophomore RHP/DH, and Max Cassle, Freshman RHP, also pitched for Vol State.
The shutout loss was the first for the Pioneers this season and the series sweep was the first allowed by Vol State since the Dyersburg State series at the end of March 2023. The Pioneers fell to 5-11 overall and 1-4 in conference play.