MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — The 17th-ranked Catawba Valley Community College baseball team was dealt a pair of of non-conference road losses on Tuesday afternoon to Division I powerhouse Walters State.
The Red Hawks, who had a nine-game winning streak snapped with their game one loss to the Senators, drop to 19-10 overall on the season.
Game one: No. 2 Walters State 2, No. 17 Catawba Valley 0
CVCC struggled offensively, tallying just one hit in their first shutout loss of the season during the opening game of the twin bill on Tuesday afternoon against the Senators.
Shortstop Mason Lyda recorded the lone hit in the sixth inning for the Red Hawks, who also drew two walks in Tuesday's opening contest, but struck out eight times during the seven innings played.
Catawba Valley starting pitcher Andrew Patrick suffered his first loss of the season. He gave up three hits, two runs (one earned), four walks and struck out three batters in four innings of work after replacing starter Blake Dockery in the second inning.
Brayden Combs led Walters State (27-5) with two hits in three plate appearances, including a two-run home run in the sixth inning, while Senators starting pitcher Zebby Matthews improved to 3-1 on the season by tossing six innings and striking out seven batters.
Game two: No. 2 Walters State 6, No. 17 Catawba Valley 4
Despite a late comeback effort, the Red Hawks fell to the Senators by two runs for the second-straight game in seven innings.
Walters State took a quick 6-0 lead through six complete innings of Tuesday's nightcap, scoring one run in each of the first, second and sixth innings and three runs in the third inning. Brayden Runion led the charge for the Senators with a pair of RBI singles.
CVCC rallied late by scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Designated hitter Sabion Thomas ended the Senators' shutout bid with a solo home run to lead off the inning, and four batters later, Lyda drove in catcher Willie Gordon on an RBI single to cut Catawba Valley's deficit to 6-2.
The Red Hawks would eventually load the bases after a walk by second baseman R.J. Conner, setting the stage for left fielder Jackson Brown's two-run single to right field, which scored Lyda and third baseman Grant Tilley to make it a two-run game.
However, with the go-ahead run for CVCC at home plate, Walters State reliever Gage Gillian was able to record the game-ending strikeout, earning his first save of the season.
The Red Hawks will try to bounce back when they return to the diamond on Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader with the Montreat JV squad. First pitch at Henkel-Alley Field is set for 5 p.m.