CLEVELAND - Cade Hoggard's two-RBI single to left in the bottom of the ninth powered the No. 21 Statesmen (18-9-1) past the Crusaders (15-15) of William Carey University Wednesday at Ferriss Field.  

After six scoreless innings of baseball, the Statesmen and Crusaders combined to score seven runs over the final three innings, including dramatics by both clubs in the ninth.  

In the bottom of the seventh, the Statesmen loaded the bases and took the lead 1-0 on a wild pitch by Carey starter Ian Sharp.  

WCU struck back in the top of the eighth, as Jason Terrell slammed a solo home run over the left field wall to tie it at 1-1.  

Rickey Ware gave the Statesmen a brief 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth, as the sophomore from Houston smashed a solo home run to center off Sharp.  

In the top of the ninth, William Carey loaded the bases with no outs off Statesmen reliever Toby Easterly.  Joshua Prout delivered a two-RBI single to left to put the Crusaders up 3-2 off Brent Hallmark, who came on in relief of Easterly.  Hallmark was able to work out of the jam and keep the game at 3-2 WCU.

In the Statesmen half of the inning, Billy Ray Todd led off the inning with an infield single of Carey reliever Scottie Reese.  Todd advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Michael Niemann followed with a bunt single down the third base line to push Todd to third.  Niemann would swipe second to set up runners at second and third with no one out.  

Reese quickly struck out Josh Gordon and with one out senior Cade Hoggard came to the plate.  With two balls and two strikes, Hoggard ripped a single off Reese to left to score Todd and Niemann to give the green-and-white the 4-3 victory.

Hallmark (1-0) claimed the win in relief.  The sophomore from Columbus worked 1.0 inning, allowing one hit and one strikeout.  Easterly worked 3.0 innings of relief, while starter Trey Griffin tossed five scoreless innings with one walk and one strikeout.  

Carey's Reese (4-3) was saddled with the loss.

Ware led the Statesmen at the plate, going 2-for-3 with his first career home run.  Hoggard was 1-for-4 with two RBIs.  

The Statesmen return to action this Saturday and Sunday at Harding University for a three game Gulf South Conference series.  Saturday's doubleheader is slated for noon, while Sunday's single game will begin at 1 p.m.  All three games will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network.  Matt Jones and Jim Ervin will have the call.