Volunteer State Baseball Splits DH @ Gadsden State
By: Timothy M. Reece, Athletic Media Coordinator
On Tuesday, February 4th, Vol State (3-0) traveled back to Alabama to face the Gadsden State Cardinals for Gadsden State's season opener. The Cardinals, who are members of the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC), which competes in Region 22 of Division I in the NJCAA, are beginning their 2nd year of competition after ceasing baseball operations in 2011. A new sports complex being built on the Gadsden State campus has not been completed, so the Pioneers and Cardinals clashed at the Gadsden Sports Complex with Vol State gaining the split by winning the second game, 3-2, after dropping the first, 8-4.
In game 1, the Pioneers started the scoring in the top of the 1st inning with 2 runs on 4 straight hits and a sacrifice fly. Gage Hoover (SO-OF) singled, driving home Devin Thrain (SO-OF), who also had singled and went to 2B on a base hit by Easton Denning (FR-1B). Carson Sanders (SO-DH/1B) hit a sacrifice fly to RF, which drove in Denning, who had reached 3B on Hudson Blank's (FR-3B) single to LF. For the 4th straight game, Vol State had started the scoring, leading 2-0 going to the bottom of the 1st.
The lead did not last long, however. Two batters in, Gadsden State tied the game on a 2-run home run, and later in the inning, scored an unearned run to take a lead they would not relinquish. It was the first time in the young 2025 season that the Pioneers had trailed in a game. Starting Pitcher RJ Moore (R/SO-RHP), who was on the mound for the first time in his collegiate career, shook off the nerves and retired 5 straight batters before hitting a batter in the 2nd inning. Moore then retired the next 2 batters to get out of the inning. Moore went 3.1 innings, giving up 3 hits, 5 runs (2 earned), a walk, 3 HBP, with 2 K's.
After 3 innings, the score was still 3-2, before Gadsden State sent 6 batters to the plate and scored 2 more unearned runs, without the benefit of a hit. Moore was relieved by Carter Waltz (SO-LHP), who retired the last 2 batters in the 4th. Waltz got into trouble in the 5th, however, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, while plunking 2 Cardinals and giving up a sac fly. Gadsden State led 8-2 after 5 innings.
In the top of the 6th, Sanders led off with a solo home run to left field, which was the 1st long ball by a Pioneer on the year. It was Sanders' 2nd collegiate home run, collecting a 2-run homer against Cleveland State in the 3rd-to-last game of the 2024 season. Caden Blackford (R/SO-RHP) came on for his 2nd appearance of the year and retired all 3 batters he faced in the 6th. Vol State scored a final run in the 7th on a walk to Drew Plummer (R/SO-UTL), another single by Thrain, and a double down the RF line by Hoover.
The Pioneers (3-1) fell, 8-4, for their first loss of the year. Moore (0-1) took the loss. Thrain, Denning, Hoover, and Sanders all had 2 hits, with Hoover and Sanders picking up 2 RBI's each. Sanders was the Toyota of Gallatin Player of the Game.
In game 2, the Pioneers took the lead, for the 5th straight game, with a run in the 2nd inning, on another solo home run by Carson Sanders. In the 3rd inning, Vol State strung together 4 straight hits, for the second time of the day, scoring 2 more runs to lead 3-0. Elijah Harris (FR-2B) and Thrain had base hits to start the inning and scored on RBI singles by Denning and Hoover. The Pioneers would be shut out the rest of the game, but did pick up back-to-back hits by Reed Muschinsky (R/SO-OF) and Tucker Lorenz (FR-SS) in the 6th and a two out double by Hoover in the 7th. Hoover finished the afternoon going 4-7, with 2 doubles, a walk, and 3 RBI's. Sanders' line was 3-7, 2 runs scored, 2 home runs, and 3 RBI's. Thrain and Denning also had 3 hits in the doubleheader as Vol State collected a total of 19 in the two games, including 4 doubles and 2 home runs.
Drew Morehead (FR-RHP) got his first collegiate start, in his 2nd appearance on the mound, and faced 12 batters in his 3 innings of work. He struck out 5 while giving up 2 hits and walking a batter, without surrendering a run. Brody Prairie (FR-LHP) and Bryant Rascoll (R/SO-RHP) also appeared for the 2nd time of the season, pitching the 4th and 5th innings. Prairie struggled to throw strikes at times and ultimately hit 2 batters and walked 2, while also striking out 2 Cardinals. Prairie allowed 1 run before giving way to Rascoll to get the last out of the 4th. Gadsden State then scored a run in the 5th off Rascoll and threatened for more before he retired the final batter he faced on a ground out to AJ Armstrong (FR-3B).
Max Cassle (SO-RHP) came on in the 6th and retired the side in order, getting a much-needed pick off of a runner at 2B, keeping the Pioneers clinging to 3-2 lead. Cassle then ran into trouble in the bottom of the 7th, giving up a walk and a single, which were the potential tying and winning runs. First-year Pitching Coach Trevor Muzzi called on Braxten Alexander (R/SO-LHP) to shut down the threat. With runners at 2nd and 3rd and nobody out, Alexander induced a groundout to Armstrong at 3rd, with no advancement by the runners. After a walk loaded the bases, Alexander struck out back-to-back batters, both looking, giving the Pioneers the 3-2 victory and an exciting split against Gadsden State. Alexander picked up his first collegiate save, making a winner of Starting Pitcher, Drew Morehead (1-0). With his clutch performance in the 7th, Alexander earned the Toyota of Gallatin Co-Player of the Game along with Gage Hoover.
Next up for Vol State (4-1) is their home opener at the Tim Garrett Baseball Complex on Friday, February 7th, when they host Glen Oaks Community College (Centreville, MI) for two double headers, beginning at noon (CST), on both Friday and Saturday. All games will be carried on the VolState Sports Network YouTube channel.