CLEVELAND - The No. 18 Statesmen (23-10-1, 7-3 GSC) of Delta State University scored a combined 24 runs Friday to sweep the Reddies (18-13, 3-7 GSC) 10-6 and 14-6 in a Gulf South Conference doubleheader at Ferriss Field. 

Cade Hoggard slammed a two-run home run and drove in three runs on Saturday to lead the No. 18 Statesmen of Delta State past the Reddies, 10-6, at Ferriss Field in game one of a doubleheader. 

The Reddies jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first off DSU starter Cody Kelley, but the senior right-hander regrouped and held the HSU offense at bay for much of the remaining game. 

Delta State answered with three runs in the bottom of the first to knot the game at 3-3, as Hoggard and Rickey Ware delivered RBI singles. 

The Statesmen made it 6-3 in the fourth, thanks in part to an error by HSU third baseman Lee Harris that allowed two runs to come around to score.  Michael Niemann's RBI single to center closed the scoring in the fourth, as Chris Escobar came around to score. 

Hoggard's two-run home run in the fifth made it 8-3, as the senior first baseman crushed an Anthony Gilliland offering over the fence in left.

HSU's Bobby Tatum made it 8-4 in the sixth, as the junior drove in Richie Wood, who tripled to start the inning, with a single to center.

The Reddies tacked on two additional runs in the seventh to cut the DSU lead to 8-6.

Escobar's two-RBI single to center extended the lead back to four runs in the bottom of the seventh, 10-6.

Toby Easterly came on to close the door on the Reddies in eighth and ninth, allowing no runs on no hits with two strikeouts. 

Kelley (5-0) earned the win, tossing 7.0 innings, while allowing six runs, five earned, on 11 hits with six strikeouts. 

HSU's Jonathon Dooley (3-2) was saddled with the loss after working 4.0 innings and allowing eight runs on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Hoggard finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Ware went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. 

After the Reddies took a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two off Kendall Norman's three-run home run, the Statesmen exploded for seven runs to take a 7-3 lead, including a three-run home run by Chase Blanchard.  The Statesmen never trailed again, cruising to a 14-6 win.   

HSU made it 7-4 in the third inning, as Robert Gilbert came in to score on Norman's ground out. 

The Statesmen answered with three runs in the bottom of the third, as Michael Vinson delivered a three-RBI double off the left field wall to make it a 10-4 DSU lead. 

HSU plated one run in the fourth and sixth, while the Statesmen put the game away with three runs in the fifth and one run on Chris Escobar's solo home run in the sixth to make the final 14-6 Statesmen.

Coats (6-0) claimed the win after throwing a complete game, while allowing six runs on seven hits.  The senior from Starkville walked two and struck out five in the win. 

White (1-3) was saddled with the loss after working just 0.2 innings and allowing six runs on just two hits.  Nathan Eller (2.0), Shawn Hall (2.1) and Josh Wesson (0.1) all worked in relief. 

Michael Vinson finished the game 3-for-3 with four RBIs to pace the Statesmen, while Michael Niemann and Chris Escobar both went 3-for-4 with an RBI. 

Rickey Ware drove in two runs, while Hoggard and McGinnis drove in one run apiece.

Saturday's series finale is slated for 2 p.m. at Ferriss Field.  Senior Trey Griffin (3-2, 2.70 ERA), the reigning GSC West Division Player of the Week, is scheduled to pitch game three for the Statesmen.  The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 1:45 p.m. with the "SouthGroup Insurance Dugout Report."  Matt Jones and Jimmy Smith will have the call.