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Roane State Community College

ROANE SWEEPS WALTERS BEHIND SHRADER’S TWO-HOMER GAME

Smiling softball player in a red Raiders jersey holds a bat across her shoulders while standing in front of a blue backdrop.
Delaney Shrader
Box Score Box Score
April 17, 2026

The Lady Raiders swept a TCCAA doubleheader with Walters State on Wednesday, April 15, winning 11-3 in six innings and 9-1 in five innings, powered by dominant pitching, timely hitting and two walk-off finishes.

Roane State set the tone early in Game 1 behind sophomore pitcher Emma MacTavish, who continued her strong run in the circle. Head coach Marty McDaniel pointed to her performance as making the difference throughout the opener.

"She threw well. She's been throwing really good for the past few weeks, and really the whole season," McDaniel said. "She had very good command of the zone and made big pitches at crucial times. They took advantage of a couple mistakes, but she did a good job of settling back in and taking control again."

Roane State's offense backed MacTavish immediately, jumping on Walters State early. Sophomore Delaney Shrader led the charge with a breakout performance, blasting two home runs and delivering the walk-off hit to end the game in the sixth inning.

"She was on time today," McDaniel said. "She's been struggling a little bit in practice, but she made adjustments at the plate and did a good job hitting strikes. That's why she had the success she did."

Shrader's production highlighted a lineup that consistently applied pressure, giving the Lady Raiders control of the game from the opening innings. The team capitalized on early scoring chances and never allowed Walters State to close the gap.

Game 2 followed a similar script, with sophomore pitcher Bree McKamey taking the ball and delivering a dominant outing. McKamey limited Walters State to one run while generating strikes throughout the shortened five-inning contest.

"Bree commanded the zone very well," McDaniel said. "When you're getting swings and misses, your ball is moving well, and hers was moving really, really good today."

Roane State once again paired strong pitching with efficient offense, building a lead before finishing the game in walk-off fashion. This time, it was Cyla Swafford delivering the final blow with a game-ending single.

While the offensive numbers stood out across both games, Coach McDaniel emphasized a defensive moment as a turning point in the series. Freshman outfielder Kaylin Shepherd made a key play in center field that halted a potential Walters State rally.

"The play of the day was when Kaylin Shepherd caught that ball in center field," McDaniel said of her diving catch. "It changed the whole complexity of the game. They might have scored there, so that was a huge play defensively."

Shepherd also contributed at the plate, showing improvement in limited opportunities.

"She hasn't had a lot of at-bats, so it's just timing and staying in her legs," McDaniel said. "She played well today."

With the pair of victories, Roane State builds momentum heading into the closing weeks of conference play, showing the kind of balanced performance that could translate into postseason success.

"We've got to play like we did today," McDaniel added. "We've got to play complete games with good pitching, timely hitting and good defense. If we do that, we can make noise in the tournament. This is the time of year you need to start doing that."