Late Rally Sinks Warhawks at Vol State, 9-8

Gallatin, TN – Coming off a four-game split at home against Lincoln Trail and Alpena last week, Calhoun baseball traveled north Tuesday, Feb. 24, for a single nine-inning matchup with Volunteer State. The Warhawks built an early lead but fell in dramatic fashion, 9-8, on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.

Calhoun wasted no time getting on the board, using early walks and sharp contact from the top of the order to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Freshman Cody Hodges got the start on the mound and surrendered a solo home run on the fourth pitch he threw, but quickly settled in. Hodges struck out three in the opening frame and carried a 2-1 lead into the third.

The Warhawk offense broke the game open in the top of the third. Capitalizing on Pioneer errors and free passes, Calhoun turned five hits into five runs to take a commanding 7-1 advantage.

Calhoun extended the lead in the sixth in electrifying fashion. Jackson Firestone drew a full-count leadoff walk and, two batters later, stole second, third, and home, all during the same at-bat, to push the Warhawk lead to 8-1.

Volunteer State began chipping away in the bottom of the eighth, using a two-run homer, walks, a sacrifice fly, and a two-out RBI single to tie the game at 8-8.

Calhoun was unable to answer in the top of the ninth, and on the fourth pitch of the bottom half, Volunteer State launched a walk-off home run to secure the 9-8 victory.

Trent Wilson led the Warhawks offensively, going 2-for-5 with an RBI. Taisuky Rodriguez finished 1-for-3 with two RBI, and Jayson Smith Jr. added two RBI of his own.

Cody Hodges was strong in his three innings of work, allowing just one hit and one earned run while striking out seven. Tatum Sivley was charged with the loss.

After the game, Head Coach Cameron Chafetz pointed to self-inflicted mistakes as the difference. "We gave away too many freebies today," Chafetz said. "Errors and walks add up over the course of a game, especially when you've built a lead like that. Against good teams, you can't give extra outs or extra baserunners and expect to close it out."

Calhoun will return to action Thursday, March 5, traveling to Chattahoochee Valley for a doubleheader.