MILLINGTON, Tenn. – It was another improbable comeback Wednesday for the No. 9-ranked Delta State University baseball team, as the Statesmen erased a 5-1 deficit, scoring six runs in the fifth inning and holding on for the 8-6 victory over West Alabama in an elimination game at the Gulf South Conference Tournament at USA Stadium. The Statesmen improved to 38-15 on the season, while the Tigers fall to 37-14.

West Alabama wasted little time putting pressure on Statesmen starter Korey Cunningham. The Tigers stranded three runners on base in the first two innings, before touching the senior from Clinton for three runs in the third. A sac-fly RBI by Brian Simone, followed by RBI base knocks by Nick Wheeler and Kevin Deese in the inning.

In the bottom of the third, the Statesmen finally scratched the scoreboard; as Devin Goodwin swiped home on a double steal to cut the UWA lead to two, 3-1.

The Tigers tacked on two runs in the fourth to take a commanding 5-1 lead. Brian Mason singled to open the inning and Rob Dahlberg roped a shot up the middle to plate the UWA shortstop. Simone followed with his second double of the game, scoring Dahlberg from first.

After a scoreless bottom of the fourth, coach Mike Kinnison called on junior reliever Jason Coats to keep the Tigers at-bay. Wheeler would lead off the inning for UWA with a double down the left field line on the very first pitch thrown by Coats. The Starkville native quickly settled down and retired the next three UWA batters to end the innings and preserving the four run deficit.

In Delta State's half of the fifth, the bottom of the order provided the first spark. Senior first baseman Steven Oswald and junior left fielder Billy Ray Todd record back-to-back singles to open the inning. Senior shortstop Devin Goodwin politely deposited an 0-1 fastball out of the hand of UWA starter Colter Millican over the left field wall, cutting the lead to 5-4.

After a walk to Niemann and a single by senior Clay Sartain, the Statesmen had runners on the corners with no one out. Kellen Bozeman struck out and Cade Hoggard popped out to right in the next two at-bats. With two outs and the season on the line, senior catcher Anthony Palasini crushed the first pitch from UWA reliever Josh Varner into the top of the trees beyond the left field wall for the 7-5 DSU lead.

Varner would surrender an infield hit by Josh Gordon before retiring Oswald to end the inning.

With a 7-5 lead, Coats deftly kept the Tigers off balance in the sixth and seventh innings, preserving the two-run lead.

In the eighth, UWA plated a run on a delayed steal of home by Dallas Rogers, who singled with one out in the inning and moved around to third on a wild pitch.

Protecting a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth, Gordon connected on the third home run of the night, a shot over the left field wall to extend the lead back to two runs, 8-6.

Coats gave up a leadoff single in the ninth to Simone, but quickly retired Wheeler, Kevin Deese, and Douglas Frazier to seal the win and propel the Statesmen into yet another elimination game Thursday against Southern Arkansas.

Coats (2-0) pitched 5.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits with five strikeouts to earn the victory. Cunningham started the game and worked 4.0 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits with one strikeout.

UWA reliever Josh Varner (8-3) was saddled with the loss after working 3.0 innings of relief, allowing two runs on three hits. UWA starter Millican pitched 4.0 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, while Brian Burgess pitched the eighth, surrendering one run on one hit.

Goodwin paced the Statesmen at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a three-run home run, and three RBIs.

The Statesmen will face top-ranked Southern Arkansas University Thursday at either 1 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. SAU faces West Florida Wednesday night in the winner's bracket final of the GSC Tournament. Thursday's game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting 15 minutes prior to first pitch with the “SouthGroup Insurance Locker Room Report.” Matt Jones and Jim Ervin will have the call.