Box Score CLEVELAND – The Delta State University baseball team, came into Sunday's game looking for a decisive win against the University of West Alabama. However, it was the Tigers who ended up getting an important conference win, as they defeated the Statesmen 9-4.

The Tigers (12-14, 4-5 GSC) started off the game a lot like the first game of the series, as they plated a run in the first inning. Matt Magee brought home Tyler Richburg with an RBI base hit up the middle.

With the game still at 1-0, the Statesmen (15-5, 3-3 GSC) rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Brent Kakwitch doubled to left field. Ben Kingsley followed with a base hit to right center field, and Kakwitch was able to score. After the run, Jon Carnahan hit a double of his own to left field, and that brought Kingsley around to score. The runs put the Statesmen out front 2-1.

The lead was short lived as the Tigers scored a run in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-2 lead. With the game tied heading into the fifth, Tyler Richburg led the frame off with a solo home run over the left field wall.

Up by a run, West Alabama gave themselves some breathing room in the seventh inning. With the bases loaded Magee uncorked a grand slam to left field, and that homer put the Tigers up 7-2.

Needing runs in a hurry, the Statesmen responded in the bottom of the seventh. After Sam Kidd reached base on a walk, Kakwitch crushed his first home run of the season. The long ball closed the deficit to just three runs at 7-4.

Just when the Statesmen got back into the game, the Tigers put the contest away with two runs in the top of the eighth inning. Magee brought D.J. Turo home with a double in the eighth inning, as the hit closed out an 11-RBI series for the Tiger third baseman. The run also let the Tigers pick up the 9-4 victory in the rubber math of the series.

Josh Branstetter (0-1) suffered his first loss of the season for the Statesmen. Branstetter pitched 6 innings, gave up seven runs on 10 hits, walked two, and struck out seven. Ricky Winters gave up two runs in two innings of relief, and Jared Bond closed out the game for the Statesmen by striking out the side in the ninth.

Nick Bolleter (3-2) picked up the win for the Tigers. Bolleter pitched four innings, gave up just two runs on six hits, walked two, and struck out two.

The Statesmen scored their four runs on nine hits, and the Tigers picked up their nine runs on 14 hits. Kingsley was a bright spot for the Statesmen at the plate, as he extended his hitting streak to 16 games. The junior transfer from Meridian Community College went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the game, and was 7-of-11 from the plate during the series with a home run, and four RBIs.

After dropping their first series of the season, the Statesmen will look to respond this week as they play a pair of games against Ouachita Baptist. The series gets underway Tuesday night with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. You can listen live on the Statesmen Sports Network beginning at 6:15 p.m.