HARRIMAN — After splitting a doubleheader on Sunday with Roane State, it was a very pleasant ride home for coach Mike Policastro and his Cleveland State Cougars as they took a convincing 12-1 decision over the Raiders and two out of three in the TCCAA Region VII Conference series.
The Cougars (19-11, 5-7) pounded Raider pitching for 15 hits and capitalized on five errors as they put eight runs on the scoreboard in the first four innings and quickly put the game out of reach.
Colin Sullivan lifted a sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the first to start the onslaught Monday.
DeAndre Allen got things rolling in the second inning by reaching on a Raider miscue, stealing second base and scoring on a triple from Damo DeMatteo. DeMatteo then strolled home on a single by Randall Coley.
Sullivan started the rally again in the third with a double and later scored on a single by Allen. DeMatteo knocked in a run as the lead grew to 5-0.
Derek Shugart drew a walk and came all the way around to score on a pair of errors in the fourth while Michael Hargrove doubled in a run and Sullivan stayed hot with another RBI for an 8-0 lead.
The Raiders avoided the shutout with an unearned run in the fifth as Jordan Stafford reached on an error and later scored on a single from Brady Woullard.
The Cougars ended the game early with a four-run outburst in the seventh. Devin Fish started the Cougar hit parade with a single and came around to score after a single from Allen on the back end of a double steal. Shugart singled in a run, Cody Commons followed with a double to plate a run and Cody Hiefnar ended the day with a pinch hit RBI single.
Ross Spurgeon (2-2) scattered four hits over six innings — without allowing an earned run — to pick up the win while Hunter Hammond pitched the last inning in relief for the Cougars. Brenton Bates suffered the loss for Roane State while Tyler Gillum and Logan Hicks pitched in relief.
The Cougars will travel to the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky., Wednesday, with first pitch at 2:30.
