The Cougars used most of their runs in the first game as they took a lopsided 22-9 win, but the Raiders bounced back in game two to get a 5-3 win and gain a split.
Cleveland State jumped on top in their first turn at the dish with a pair of runs as Chase Edwards singled in a run and another run crossed on an error for a 2-0 lead.
The Raiders tied the game in their first turn on a wild pitch and a solo homer from Josh Hillard.
The Cougars then put a crooked number on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning on a pair of Raider miscues and a grand slam from Michael Hargrove for an 8-2 lead.
The visitors tacked on five more runs in the fourth as DeAndre Allen, Derek Shugart and Cody Commons all knocked in a run.
The Raiders made some noise with three runs in the fourth and four more in the sixth. Demond Tubbs singled in a run while Hillard did the same in the sixth and Seth Owens doubled in two more to cut the lead to 13-9.
The Cougar bats exploded in the top of the seventh for nine big runs to finally put game one on ice. Colin Sullivan knocked in a pair of runs in two at bats, Allen, Randall Coley and Hargrove all plated a run with a single each and Colby Harmon tripled in a run while Shugart added a run-scoring double as the Cougars took the first game.
Derek Chandler got the win while Jared Burton, and Jeb Scoggins also pitched for the Cougars. Casey Bouilere-Howard took the loss for the Raiders while Isaac Carr, Zach Allen, Jordan McCallie and John Franklin pitched in relief.
Roane took the early lead in game two as a pair of Cougar errors led to an RBI single by Eric Brown for a 1-0 lead. The Cougars tied the game in the second without the benefit of a hit. Allen drew a walk, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.
Cleveland State took the lead in the fourth as Edwards singled and later scored on the back end of a perfectly executed double steal to put the visitors on top 2-1.
The Raiders came right back to take the lead in the bottom of the frame as Brown plated another run with a triple and a second run crossing on a squeeze bunt. Brown struck again in the fifth for an RBI single to push the lead to 4-2.
The Cougars scratched out a run in the sixth on a grounder from Ethan Davis, but the Raiders got that run back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single from Brady Stafford to finish game two and secure the split of the twin bill.
Tyler Sexton took the loss on the hill for the Cougars while Tyler Annett picked up the win.
The Cougars will finish their three-game series on this afternoon at Roane State and then host the University of the Cumberlands on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
