By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
May 23, 2003
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. The 2003 baseball season gave Walters State (Tenn.) Community College a chance to upset a highly ranked squad.
The Senators (49-11) defeated the No. 3-ranked Young Harris Community College in the East Central District finals to earn a berth to the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series.
Last season, Walters State, which posted a 51-6 record in 2002, missed a chance to come to the 10-team tournament when it was ranked second in the nation.
Middle Georgia upset the Senators in their regional tournament, last year.
The No. 19-ranked Senators open play against the Meridian Community College Eagles (39-17) at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, the national title tournament's second day.
Walters State will not over power its opponents at the plate.
The Senators do not have any hitters with double-digit home run totals. Two batters, clean up hitter Boodle Clark and No. 2 hitter Chuck Hargis, lead the team with nine homers each.
What Walters State does have at the plate is a solid team average. The squad is hitting a combined .332, the Eagles have a .304 team average.
On the mound, the Senators are carrying a collective ERA of 3.24. Sophomore pitcher Brad Rose (11-1), who has a 2.77 ERA, and sophomore Eric Belvins (10-2), who has a 2.25 ERA, lead the Walter State staff.
The Senators defense has been the team's main component for success this year.
Walters State has a team fielding percentage of .962, and the squad has combined for just 82 errors in 55 games.
The only thing the team doesn't have entering Sunday's contest is a good idea of what to expect from its opponent.
Walters State arrived at the site of World Series at 1 a.m. Thursday, and Campbell said he has had little time to gather information about MCC.
The Senators may not have a comprehensive scouting report on the Eagles, Campbell said they do have something working in the favor entering the World Series.