Mannion paces Tigers sweep

Casey Mannion's two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning trumped Matt Harrell's solo shot in the top half Saturday, and Chattanooga State went on to defeat nationally ninth-ranked Walters State 2-1 in the first game of the weekend baseball series matching the TCCAA leaders.

Then the 18th-ranked Tigers (28-8, 13-4) won 9-4 with Mannion hitting another two-run homer to assure they'll own first place alone regardless of the outcome of today's 1 p.m. finale at Chattanooga State. Walters is 24-12, 11-6.

Tyler McClure was the winning pitcher in the opener with Adam Weldon getting the save. Former Chattanooga State player Taylor Patterson from Murray County pitched a four-hitter in defeat. Weldon also got a save in game two, when Tyler Troutt had the win.

* Cleveland State 3-5, Motlow 1-1: At Cleveland, the Cougars completed a weekend TCCAA sweep with strong pitching from Jeb Scoggins and Thomas Huddleston and Michael Hargrove's two-run homer in the first game and RBI double in the second.

Dalton Rogers' sacrifice fly began the scoring in the finale, and he, Cody Hiefnar and Keith Buckhault had RBIs in the three-run third inning for Cleveland State (22-13, 10-7). Clayton Palicki homered in the first game for Motlow (19-18, 5-13).

* Lee 7-4, Talladega 1-1: At Cleveland, the NAIA's top-ranked Flames improved to 33-8 as Jose Samayoa (8-1) allowed four hits in six innings and Clint Terry (6-1) followed with a five-hitter with seven strikeouts.

Karsten Strieby was 3-for-3 with an RBI and Mark Silva was 2-for-3 and matched Brady Renner's two RBIs in the first game for Lee, and Josh Silver was 2-for-3 and Trevor Burgess scored twice as a runner for Danny Canela in the rematch.

* Bryan 8-13, Hiwassee 5-0: At Dayton, L.J. Rowden was two outs away from a no-hitter in the series finale for the Lions (23-16), striking out eight with his one hit allowed. Grant Zawadzki was 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs and two RBIs and Blake Johnson drove in five runs in that game, when Cody Rhinehart was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Jess Cartner was 2-for-3 and scored twice and Chris Jeffries was hit by two pitches and scored three runs.

Zawadzki homered, singled and drove in three runs in Saturday's opener, when Andrew Smith also homered and Joey Underwood scored twice. Bryan won 12-5 Friday night as Josh Harris homered, singled and batted in six runs, Tyler Latham went 3-for-4, Underwood scored three runs and Johnson and Hunter Tipton each drove in two. Josh Cassidy and Nick Craig each had two hits and two RBIs for Hiwassee.

* Tennessee Wesleyan 12-3, Point 6-1: At Athens, the NAIA's No. 10 team improved to 30-12 overall and 12-2 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.

* Toccoa Falls 6-2, Covenant 2-4: At Toccoa, the Scots bounced back from their first road loss in 10 games this season to score four runs in the fifth inning of game two and rise to 22-6.

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