Box Score TAMPA, Fla. – Delta State University junior right-hander Josh Branstetter tossed 8.1 innings of scoreless baseball Thursday, May 17, as the No. 10 Statesmen (41-12) defeated the No. 27 Lions (39-17) of the University of North Alabama 2-0 in the first round of the NCAA South Region Tournament at Sam Bailey Field.  The win was DSU's second straight against UNA in postseason, as the Statesmen downed the Lions 4-0 in the Gulf South Conference Tournament.

DSU took an early 1-0 lead on UNA starter Chad Boughner in the bottom of the second, as Michael Vinson, who reached on a hit-by-pitch, came around to score from second on an error by Michael Schmidt off a bounding ball to second off the bat of Tyler Aldridge.

Aldridge led off the fifth inning with a double down the left field line to jumpstart the Statesmen.  Jordan Chovanec followed up the double with an RBI single to left to increase DSU's lead to 2-0.

The Lions loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with no one out, only to have Branstetter work out of the jam and allow no UNA runs in the frame.  The junior right-hander coaxed a pop out to short by Josh Carpenter and back-to-back fielder's choices to Andrew Almon and Drew Parker to end the threat.

After a quite eighth, UNA once again threatened as Josh Cyr walked to lead it off for the Lions.  After Branstetter got LaMunyon to lineout to left, Carpenter was hit by a fastball causing DSU's head coach Mike Kinnison to bring Brandon Hardin in out of the pen.

With two on and one out, Hardin (6) got Almon to pop out in foul territory to Brent Kakwitch and nailed down the save, as Parker grounded out to Aldridge to slam the door on the 2-0 DSU win.

Branstetter (7-3) pitched 8.1 scoreless innings for the win.  The Pensacola, Fla., native walked one and struck out eight Lions in the victory.  With the 8.1 innings, Branstetter extended his postseason scoreless innings streak to 17.1 through three games.

Boughner (10-5) took the loss after working 7.0 innings and allowing two runs on seven hits.  The junior walked one and recorded three strikeouts on the night.  Brantley Claunch (1.0) also worked in relief for UNA.

Chovanec went 4-for-4, all singles, with an RBI to lead the Statesmen at the plate.  Vinson finished 1-for-2 with a run scored, while Aldridge and Kakwitch were both 1-for-3.

UNA's Schmidt and Sloan both finished the night 2-for-4.

The Statesmen will take on the winner of the Lynn versus Alabama-Huntsville winner Friday night at 7:45 p.m. EST/6:45 p.m. CST at Sam Bailey Field.  The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting 15 minutes prior with the DSU Alumni Association Statesmen Game Day Report.  Matt Jones will have the call.