CHATT STATE TIGERS CROWNED REGION BASEBALL CHAMPS

The Chattanooga State baseball team fought their way back through the loser's bracket to force a deciding game in this year's TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Baseball Tournament. After pulling out a 9-7 win on Friday, the Tigers held on to defeat the Walters State Senators 9-6 on Saturday to win the championship.  With the win, the Tigers will play Region XVII winner Andrew College for the right to go to Grand Junction (CO) for the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series.  Walters State sees it season end with an overall record 51-10.

Walters would jump out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Cooper Torres, who reached after being hit by a pitch, would score on a sacrificce fly by Keaton Ray.  In the top of the third, Chattanooga would tie the score at 1 when Conor Linkfield would come home on a passed ball, but the Tigers would then score three more in the the same inning as CJ Morro and Scott Campbell would score on a three run home run by Adam Haber.

Chattanooga would score two more runs in the fifth inning as Aidan McAskie would score on a double by Cade Chamlee who would late score on a wild pitch.  Walters would then score three runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the score to 6-4 as Torres and Caleb Marmo came around on a three run home run by Kruise Newman.

Stoney Smith would score for the Tigers in the top of the seventh when Campbell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Senators would answer in the bottom of the seventh and getto within one at 7-6 when Ray would drill a two run home run with Torres aboard. 

Chattanooga would score their last two runs in the top of the eighth as Owen Brock would walk and come around as McAskie would hit a two run homer. 

Newman and Kurtis Reid were the only Senators with multiple hits.  Newman would have a single and the home run while Reid had two singles.  Brayden Matthews (6-2) took the loss as he went the first 2 1/3 innings. surrendering four earned runs on four hits with three walks. 

McAskie had three hits for the Tigers while Morro and Haber each had two in the win.  McAskie added two singles to go with his home run while Morro had two singles and Haber added a single to go with his home run.  Garrett Borst got his first win of the season as he went the first 4 1/3 innings, surrendering 3 earned runs on two hits while walking two and striking out one.  Luke Motter would close out the game with 4 2/3 innings of work to get the save.  He would surrender two earned runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Pitcher Charlie Smith of Chattanooga was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player as he threw two complete game wins.  His first win was a 6-2 win over Motlow State where he allowed two runs on four hits with 17 strikeouts and two walks.  The, his seond win came against Walters in the first championship game where he surrendered seven runs (five earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and eight walks.

The Appalachian District Championship is scheduled for a 1pm start on Tuesday, May 16, at the Hord Athletic complex in Cuthbert, Georgia.  Andrew College is currently 32-22 on the season while the Tigers are 44-10.  The format will be a best two out of three with the winner advancing to Colorado.