BOCA RATON, Fla. – The No. 10 Knights (1-0) of Lynn University took advantage of three errors on Thursday to down the No. 23 Statesmen (0-1) of Delta State University in the season-opener for both teams.
Lynn scored six runs on 12 hits with one error, while DSU managed four runs on seven hits with three errors.
The Knights took advantage of a throwing error by Statesmen shortstop
Chris Escobar to jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Delta State tied at 1-1 in the top of the third on a solo home run by
Michael Niemann (1), a junior from Yelm, Wash., had doubled in the first, to right center.
Lynn came right back in the bottom of the third. After a leadoff singles by second baseman Einar Atecenio and left fielder Dane Derstine, Chris Chavez tied reclaimed the lead, 2-1, with an RBI-single to left. DSU starter Trey Griffin worked his way out of trouble to end the inning.
The Knights took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth, plating two runs on an RBI-double by Atecenio and a run-scoring single by Matt Noble.
DSU’s
Cade Hoggard (1) cut into the LU lead with a towering 425-foot blast to right center to make it 4-2.
The Knights extended their lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth with two unearned runs.
Statesmen third baseman
Josh Gordon (1) made it 6-3 with the third home run of the day for DSU, a bomb over the left field fence in the seventh.
The green-and-white kept clawing at the Knights’ lead in the eighth. Niemann reached on an error by the right fielder with one out, advancing to second as Lee Carillo scrambled for the ball. Hoggard, a senior from Oxford, delivered in the clutch, slapping a single to right scoring Niemann from second.
Trey Griffin (0-1), a senior right-hander from Houston, started the game for the Statesmen and took the loss after working 4.1 innings allowing four runs, three earned on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Jeffrey Vance, a junior right-hander from Water Valley, came on in relief of Griffin, working 1.2 innings, while allowing two unearned runs.
Brent Hallmark, a sophomore right-hander from New Hope, entered the game in the seventh for Vance. After a quick seventh, Hallmark ran into trouble in the eighth, loading the bases without an out. After Hoggard turned a double play at first, Hallmark struck out Kyle Holloway to end the inning, preserving a two run deficit.
The Statesmen in the ninth couldn’t muster a comeback, as Lynn reliever Evan Ellison (1) retired the side in order for the save. Lynn starter David Wright (1-0) earned the win, working 6.0 innings of two run, five hit baseball. The crafty right-hander struck out six Statesmen batters without recording a walk.
Ellison worked 3.0 innings of relief, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits with two strikeouts.
Niemann led the Statesmen at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and a home run. Hoggard was also 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI-single.
Atecenio led all hitters at the plate, going 4-for-5 to lead the Knights.
The Statesmen and Knights conclude the series on Friday with a single game. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. CST at McCusker Sports Complex. The game will feature live stats on GoStatesmen.com.