Motlow State pitcher Kendall Durard prepares to deliver a pitch during Motlow’s series win over Cleveland State this past weekend at Lady Bucks Field. Durard, a freshman from Shelbyville, won three of the four games in the circle for the Lady Bucks, pitching 18 innings and allowing just one run and 10 total hits. Motlow will travel to Roane State this weekend, then return home to host Dyersburg State on March 23 & 24. [Photo by Jeff Reed Photography]

The Lady Bucks (7-11, 4-4) jumped up into the middle of the TCCAA standings with the series win, and will travel to Harriman this weekend for a four-game series against Roane State.

Cleveland stole the first game of the series, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning to win 3-2. After that it was all Motlow, and Durard, as the Lady Bucks won Friday’s second game 4-1. Durard was completely dominant on Saturday, tossing 10 shutout innings as Motlow won 9-0, 8-0 in a pair of five-inning, run-rule contests.

Samantha King got the start in game one for Motlow, pitching three innings and allowing one earned run. The Lady Bucks took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth with two outs when Madison Woodruff doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball. After Haley Hinshaw was hit by a pitch, King singled in Woodruff to tie the game 1-1 and Hinshaw gave Motlow the lead by scoring on another passed ball.

Breanna Owens relieved King in the circle in the fourth inning and gave up the two runs to Cleveland in the seventh. Durard made her first appearance in the seventh by getting the final three outs, and she pitched every inning the rest of the series for the Lady Bucks.

In Friday’s second game Durard scattered five hits and struck out four, allowing one walk and one earned run in the 4-1 win. The Lady Bucks scored one in the fourth inning, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth after the Lady Cougars had jumped in front 1-0 in the third inning.

Madison Hopkins opened the fourth with a single to center and scored on a Cleveland error. Miranda Cooksey singled with one out in the fifth and scored on a two-out single from Kylie Thackerson, giving the Lady Bucks a 2-1 lead. Motlow took advantage of an error and two passed balls to score its two runs in the sixth, and Durard made them stand up despite allowing a single and a walk in the seventh.

Durard was near flawless on Saturday, pitching all 10 innings and allowing just five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. She got plenty of offensive support early in both games.

Motlow scored two runs in the first inning of game one, added one more in the second, and then put a six on the scoreboard in the third inning. Thackerson and Hinshaw had two hits each, and Cooksey slammed a home run while Thackerson added a three-run triple.

The offense continued its effectiveness in the series finale, with Motlow scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning, which was all Durard needed. In addition to her fine pitching, Durard added two doubles and drove in a pair of runs. Thackerson and Woodruff also had two hits each, and Owens drove in three runs with Hinshaw and Chelbie Gannon also driving in runs.

Motlow freshman Kobe Foster delivers a pitch during the Bucks 10-3 win over TCCAA rival Cleveland State Friday afternoon at the Driver Baseball Complex. Foster, from Huntland, is now 4-0 on the year with three saves, both near the top of the TCCAA leaderboard. Foster has recorded 36 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched and sports a 2.63 earned run average. [Photo by Jeff Reed Photography]

The Bucks (15-10, 3-3) pulled themselves into a fifth-place tie in the TCCAA standings with the series win. Conference play resumes this weekend when Motlow travels to Harriman to face Roane State.

The visiting Cougars jumped out to a 10-0 lead in Friday’s first game before Motlow battled back but lost 11-9. Foster (4-0) was magnificent on the mound in game two, scattering five hits and striking out seven in Motlow’s 10-3 win. Saturday’s nine-inning finale saw the Bucks slam five home runs and win 13-10.

Motlow continues to lead the nation in home runs, raising its season team total to 46. The Bucks have now scored 187 runs in their 25 games, ranking No. 17 in the nation, and have driven in 163 runs, tied for No. 17 in the NJCAA.

The weekend didn’t start well for the Bucks against the Cougars, who came into the series unbeaten in conference play. Defensive miscues played a significant role in digging the early hole, with the Bucks committing six errors in the game, but the Bucks refused to fold despite the deficit.

Michael Bruhin got his first start of the season and lasted four innings, allowing five earned runs and eight hits with three strikeouts. Chandler Hardiman replaced Bruhin in the fifth inning and shut the Cougars down the rest of the way, allowing just one hit with one strikeout.

The Bucks chipped away at the lead, notching five runs in the bottom of the seventh before falling short of completing the comeback. De’Andre Pitts had two solo home runs, while Colin Smith and Jake Chaney also homered. Pitts had three hits and three RBI, while Patrick Music and Troy Weatherly each had two hits.

Foster, who had been used as Motlow’s closer early in the year and had garnered three saves and three wins, got his first start and, despite giving up three runs in the second inning, never lost focus while waiting for his offense to come alive. It did, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to put the Cougars away.

The Bucks got help, with Cleveland’s defense committing four errors and its pitchers walking four Bucks, while Motlow only managed four hits in the game. Paul McIntosh hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning, and Pitts had two hits including a double.

Saturday’s series finale started with a bang for the Bucks as McIntosh and Weatherly hit solo home runs in the bottom of the first inning to stake starter Logan Walters with a 2-0 lead. Weatherly leads the nation with 12 home runs, while McIntosh is fourth with 10.

Walters allowed only five hits but walked seven batters in his 6.2 innings pitched. Tyler Harmon relieved him in the seventh, and the Cougars fought their way back to tie the score 7-7. But the Bucks were far from finished as Chaney hit a solo homer, Paul Rahman slammed a two-run shot, and Pitts hit a two-run double to put a six spot on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh. The Cougars didn’t fold, scoring three runs in the top of the ninth before Justin Parker came in to get the final two outs and seal the series win for the home team.

> CCMS Tennis split with Tullahoma – Girls won 7 to 0, Boys lost 4 to 2 – See the story HERE
> CCMS Baseball beat Harris – 9 to 5 – See the story HERE
> CCMS Softball lost to Harris – 3 to 2 – See the story HERE
> CHS Baseball fell to Columbia – 5 to 1 – See the story HERE
> WMS Baseball won at Huntland – 17 to 4 – See the story HERE
> CHS Softball lost to Warren Co – 3 to 1 – See the story HERE
> CHS Boys’ Soccer defeated Warren Co – 5 to 3 – See the story HERE
# WMS Tennis HOSTS Lewisburg – Postponed, Makeup TBD

Paco Barrera of CHS soccer

Opening their season on Tuesday night, the Coffee County Red Raider soccer team kicked off the season at home.  Playing host to non-district rival Warren County, Coffee County wanted to avenge a scrimmage loss to the Pioneers from earlier in the month.  Three 2^nd half goals by the Red Raiders lifted Coffee County to the 5 to 3 win.

Warren County got on the board first in the 8^th minute as they grabbed an early 1 to 0 lead.  The Raiders answered in the 15^th minute as Leo Botello drilled a header past the Pioneer keeper off a feed from Tyler Walker.  Paco Barrera made it 2 to 1 with a goal in the 24^th minute as Coffee County owned a 2 to 1 lead at the half.

In the second half, Warren County tied the match with a goal in the 46^th minute.  Cameron Kistler delivered a corner kick to the front of the goal in the 57^th minute. The ball was deflected past the keeper to put Coffee County on top for good.  Clinton Ferrell added a goal in the 58^th minute and Felix Salinas posted a tally in the 68^th minute to close out the scoring for the Raiders.  Warren County got their 3^rd goal in the 61^st minute.

The Red Raiders travel to Lewisburg on Thursday to take on Marshall County.  That non-district match will begin with a 6 PM kickoff.

The red hot Westwood baseball team traveled to Huntland on Tuesday for a conference rematch.  Coming off a 5 to 2 win on Monday night in Manchester, the Rockets were looking to stay perfect in conference play.  Playing their first road game of the year, Westwood ran their record to 5 and 0 on the year with a 17 to 4 win over the Hornets.

The Rockets jumped out to an 11 to 0 lead heading into the bottom of the 3^rd inning.  Four hits and a walk helped Westwood get 4 runs in the first inning.  After notching a single run in the 2^nd, the Rockets exploded for 6 runs in the 3^rd to put the game out of reach.  The win is the 3^rd mercy rule win of the year for Westwood.

Brady Nugent swung the big stick for the Rockets from the lead-off spot.  Nugent had 4 hits, a walk and scored 4 runs.  Trent Thompson was 3 for 3 with a walk and 3 runs scored.   Luke Beachboard finished the game with 2 hits, 2 walks and 3 runs scored.  Conner Smith started on the mound for Westwood and got the win.

Westwood will return home to Looney Riddle Field on Tuesday when they welcome conference foe Moore County.   First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM at Fred Deadman Park.