RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The No. 17 ranked Statesmen (32-13, 16-2 GSCW) of Delta State University completed the three-game sweep of Arkansas Tech University (19-29, 7-11 GSCW) taking two on Sunday from the Wonder Boys 7-6, and 12-7 at ATU Field. The series sweep clinches a spot for the defending league champion Statesmen at the upcoming Gulf South Conference Tournament, May 2-6 at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn. The victory also extends DSU's win streak to eight games.

Cade Hoggard, Steven Oswald, and Josh Gordon combined to go 10-for-12 with six RBIs to lift the Statesmen over the Wonder Boys 7-6 in game one on Sunday.

The Statesmen got an excellent start out of junior righthander Trey Griffin (6-0), who worked 8.0 innings, allowing five runs on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts in the win. Levi Bishop worked the ninth for his fifth save this season, and the 14th of his career to establish a new school record for career saves.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first, Hoggard, who went 3-for-5, blasted a 3-2 pitch off Blaine Sims over the left field wall to tie the game at 1-1.

The Statesmen added three runs in the third on RBI-singles by Kellen Bozeman, Hoggard, and Oswald to take a 4-1 lead.

ATU would make it 4-2 in the bottom of the inning, as Tyler Shaw came around to score on an error by Michael Niemann.

Josh Gordon's three-run home run to right-center in the fifth, his second of the season, made it a 7-2 DSU lead.

ATU added a single run in the bottom of the inning on a home run by Tony Sanchez. The Wonder Boys added a run in the seventh and two in the bottom of the ninth before Bishop slammed the door shut on the game and the DSU saves record book.

Oswald finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while Gordon went 1-for-3 with three-RBIs. Niemann also finished with two hits.

Sanchez paced ATU at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, and two RBIs.

In game two, the Wonder Boys wasted little time taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first off DSU starter Joey Haston. Back-to-back RBI-singles by Tony Sanchez and Clint Stroud proved to be the catalyst.

Tech scratched out a run in the bottom of the second to lead 4-0 after back-to-back singles by Chad Wynn and Josh Hollway.

The Statesmen exploded for eight runs in the top of the third inning. After a single by Billy Ray Todd and a double by Devin Goodwin, Michael Niemann deposited the next offering from ATU starter Caleb Powers over the right field wall to cut the lead to 4-3. DSU added four more runs to take the 8-4 lead, capped by Josh Gordon's two-run home run over the scoreboard in left.

After taking the lead, Statesmen starter Joey Haston settled down, holding the Wonder Boys off the scoreboard in the third, fourth and fifth.

DSU extended the lead to seven runs, 11-4, as Gordon, Todd, and Goodwin came around to score in the top of the sixth.

Haston got into a jam in the bottom of the sixth, allowing three runs on three hits before giving way to reliever Brandon Hall. Hall entered the game with runners on the corners and two outs, and quickly coaxed a pop out by Nick Shoptaw to end the inning.

In the seventh, Todd drove in Gordon with a sac-fly RBI to right making it 12-7 DSU.

In Tech's half of the seventh, Hall closed out the side for the 12-7 Statesmen win.

Haston (6-2) worked 5.2 innings, allowing seven runs on 14 hits for the win. Powers (3-4) was the loser for the Wonder Boys.

Niemann went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs to lead the Statesmen. Gordon also turned in a 3-for-4 performance with his second home run of the day and two RBIs.

The Statesmen will travel to Jackson Tuesday to face Belhaven at Smith-Wills Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting 15 minutes prior to first pitch. Matt Jones and Dan Hawthorne will have the call. The DSU Alumni Association will sponsor a Jackson-area alumni gathering starting at 5 p.m. under the covered deck down the right field line. Pizza and soft drinks will be served for $5. For more information, please log on to www.GoStatesmen.com.