When the dust had settled, the Lady Cougars had pounded out 14 hits, including two homers in each game, and had swept the doubleheader, 9-2 in game one and 7-4 in the second.
“I am very proud of the girls, it’s hard to win on the road in this conference,” explained Lady Cougar coach Katie Willingham. “We had 14 hits and we got good pitching in both games. Meaghan pitched great in the first game and Kenly did a good job in the second game, especially [after] coming back from an injury last week.”
The Lady Cougars wasted no time in the first game as Shelby Hanson smashed a two-run homer in the top of the second inning to put the visitors on top early. Three batters later, Amber Covington dialed long distance for a three-run homer and just like that, with two swings, Cleveland State was on top 5-0.
Roane State chipped away at the lead with single runs in the third and fifth as Kat Bazel and Kristina Stephens singled in a run each. But, the Lady Cougars got those runs back and then some as Ashlen Mitchell singled in a run in the fourth and Sarah Goza and Kenzie Fish plated a run each in the seventh to put the finishing touches on game one.
The Raiderettes pushed a run across in the first inning of game two, but the lead didn’t last long as Mitchell tied the game with an RBI double in the third and Halen Weeks put the Lady Cougars on top for good with a long two-run home run to right-center field for a 3-1 lead.
Hanson added a run to the Cleveland State totals with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth and Fish tacked on three more runs with a long home run for a 7-1 advantage.
Jaylen Garrett doubled in a pair of runs for the Raiderettes in their last turn at the plate, but the rally would fall short as the Lady Cougars (15-15, 5-5) got the last out and completed the sweep.
Meghan Smith got the win in game one for the Lady Cougars, striking out seven in her seven innings of work while Kenly Lambert picked up the win in game two while allowing only one earned run along the way. Bridgit Cook and Morgan Page pitched for Roane State.
Mitchell led the way for the Lady Cougars with five hits on the day while Hanson, Lambert, Weeks, Fish, Sydney Howell and Casey Griffin all had two hits apiece.
“The girls did a tremendous job hitting,” said Willingham. “Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit — just an overall great job.”
The Lady Cougars will host Jackson State on Friday at 2 p.m., and Columbia State on Saturday at 1 for four big conference games.
