COLUMBIA, TN (May 4, 2024) – The Bucks win the play-in game against Volunteer State Saturday evening to advance to Game 1 against No. 1 seed Walters State in the TCCAA Region 7 Tournament.
The score remained scoreless until the bottom of 3rd inning, where CJ Robertson hit a single (RBI), advancing Luke Johnson to second, and bringing Irvin Hernandez home to score the first run of the game. The very next play, Kaleb Gupton hit a single to left field, allowing Robertson to advance to second and Johnson hits home base to bring the score 2-0 by the 4th inning.
Neither team scored in the 4th and 5th inning. In top of the 6th inning, the Bucks remained strong defensively as Volunteer State remained scoreless. In the bottom of the 6th, the scoring started again for the Bucks. Hernandez hit a double to left field allowing Jay Pichardo to advance to third and Barron Cribbs to score, to bring the score to 3-0. The next play, Johnson was able to get to first base on an error by Volunteer State’s 2nd baseman and advance to second. Hernandez advanced to third base, giving Pichardo a chance to score the fourth run of the game for the Bucks. Hernandez also scored an unearned run to give the Bucks the lead 5-0 by the top of the seventh inning.
While Volunteer State was unable to score in the top of the 7th, Motlow continued to extend their lead in the bottom of the 7th inning, Tucker Allen scored when Grant Goodwin advanced to second and Drew Potts advanced to third. Potts scored their 7th run of the game on a wild pitch by Volunteer State, giving Godwin the chance to advance to third. For the last run of the game, Hernandez hit a single, allowing Godwin to score. By the 8-score rule in the TCCAA tournament, the Bucks defeat Volunteer State.
Hernandez scored two runs and had two RBIs. Tucker Allen, Potts, Godwin, Cribbs, and Pichardo each scored a run, while Gupton and Robertson had 1 RBI each. Pitcher Caden Alvey allowed 0 runs and struck out 8 batters.
The Buck’s next game will be on Sunday, May 5th against No 1. seed Walters State at 1:00 p.m. If they are victorious, Motlow will play the winner of Cleveland State and Southwest TN on Monday, May 6th at 4:30 p.m.
Click here to see tournament brackets and livestream links the TCCAA Region 7 Baseball Tournament.
Tyler Feaster
Sports Information
Tennessee’s Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient, and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. The system offers associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs, and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tbr.edu or visit Motlow at motlow.edu.
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