By BRYAN GRISHAM

CSCC Sports Information Director

HENDERSONVILLE - The Cleveland State softball team brought home the first place hardware on Sunday afternoon as they dominated the Club K Invitational Softball Tournament over the weekend from start to finish, notching six straight wins along the way. The Lady Cougars pounded their way to the tournament title with an incredible 55 runs and 67 hits in only six games. 

The Lady Cougars opened up pool play on Friday afternoon with a pair of wins over Kishwaukee (Illinois) College 5-1 and Jackson State 9-1. On Saturday, the Cleveland State ladies reeled off four more wins, topping Gadsden State 12-9 and Volunteer State 9-5 to complete pool play and then turned right around and beat Volunteer State again in the semifinals, 10-8 and completed their perfect tournament run with a run rule decision over Jackson State for the title, 10-2.

"I am very proud of the way the girls played this weekend," stated Lady Cougar coach Suzanne Bayne. "This weekend was a total team effort in all phases with great hitting, pitching and defense. I am looking forward to the momentum being carried into next week's games."

In the championship game on Saturday night, the Lady Cougars scored early and often as they put four runs on the board in the bottom of the second inning and another run in the third. Madison McKinney knocked in a pair of runs in the second with a double while Abby O'Rear doubled in the third and later scored on a passed ball to give the Lady Cougars a 5-0 lead.

Mercedes Norfork hit a two-run homer for Jackson State in the top of the fifth, but that would not be enough to deny the Lady Cougars the win as they got those two back in the bottom of the frame plus three more for good measure to secure the Championship. After two runs scored on an error, Holli Redmon pushed the lead past the run rule with a two-run single.

The Lady Cougars banged out 12 hits in the Championship game while Brittany Tipton went the distance to get the win tossing five innings and allowing only four hits. Cassie Yates took the loss for Jackson State.

The Lady Cougars finished up pool play on Saturday morning as they out-slugged Gadsden State in game one of the day. Stacie Scott singled in a run in the top of the first while Kelsey Hayes dialed long distance twice with a solo shot in the third and a two-run blast in the fourth. Madison McKinney added a two-run dinger of her own to give the Lady Cougars an 8-0 lead.

The Lady Cardinals mounted a comeback as Kayla Cox hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth and then cut the lead to 8-7 an inning later as they strung six hits together for four more runs.

Cleveland State got one of those runs back in the sixth, but once again Gadsden tied the game at 9-9 in the bottom of the frame. Joanie Goodner doubled in a pair of runs in the seventh while English Nichols pushed another across with a single as well to finally secure the win for the Lady Cougars. Scott got the win on the mound for Cleveland State while Tipton pitched in relief.

McKinney knocked in a pair of runs with a single in the second game on Saturday and the final game of pool play while Tipton mashed a solo homer and the Lady Cougars capitalized on several Volunteer State errors to take their fourth straight win.

Tipton pitched seven strong innings to get the win while Chandra Brooks took the loss for the Lady Pioneers. Leah Newman went 3-3 with 3 RBI's, while Tipton also had 3 RBI's.

The Lady Cougars needed a dramatic last at-bat comeback in the semifinal matchup, again with Volunteer State. Trailing 6-2, the Cleveland State ladies just kept chipping away with a run in the second and two more in the fourth, but still trailed 8-5 entering the bottom of the sixth.

McKinney tied the game with one swing for a three-run homer and moments later Tipton propelled the Lady Cougars into the championship game with a two-run double to complete the incredible comeback win. Courtney Patrick started while Tipton picked up the win in relief. Kristen Todd took the loss for the Lady Pioneers. McKinney went 4-4 with 4 RBI's.

On Friday, the Lady Cougars opened pool play with a pair of impressive wins. Patrick tossed seven strong innings and allowed only three hits as she went the distance to get the win. Casey Latal took the loss for Kishwaukee.

McKinney got her tournament off and running with a three-run homer in the third to give Cleveland State a 4-0 lead which would more than enough run support for Patrick as the Lady Cougars took game one.

In the second game on Friday, with the game tied at 1-1, the Lady Cougars broke out in a big way with five runs in the fifth all with two outs. Hayes and Scott each singled in a run while Paige Smith singled in two more for a 5-1 lead.

The Lady Cougars put the game away an inning later as Hayes knocked in a pair of runs with a single and Smith pushed the final run across with a sacrifice fly. Tipton went the distance to get the win allowing only five hits while striking out seven along the way while Cassi Yates took the loss for Jackson State..