Box Score CLEVELAND - The Delta State University Baseball team opened up the Gulf South Conference Tournament with a 9-3 win over Chrsistian Brothers, becoming the only higher seed to advance to the winner's bracket on the first day.

The Statesmen used a four-run fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie  and take the lead for good, clinching a rematch of last week's season finale with Valdosta State.

Josh Branstetter picked up the win for the Statesmen, improving to 8-2 on the season. Branstetter pitched seven innings, giving up just one run on five hits. Branstetter set his personal season high with 12 strikeouts in a team high 15 strikeouts performance.

Taylor Stark and Casey Greene each pitched an inning of relief in the game.

Delta State took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Michael Vinson took third on a Ben Kingsley single and Vinson advanced home on a muffed throw in by the second baseman.

After the Bucs tied the game at 1 in the top of the third, the Statesmen answered back with a four-run fourth inning to go ahead of the Bucs for good.Kasey Hinton hit a bases loaded RBI single to score Kingsley and Vinson. Josh Crowdus then followed it up with a double down the line to score Carlos Leal and Hinton.

In the seventh, Delta State added a pair of insurance runs with a RBI single from Tyler Aldridge, scoring Jordan Chovanec and Sam Kidd. After a pair of runs by CBU in the top of the eighth, the Statesmen added two more runs in the eight. First, Kasey Hinton singled and Leal came around to score on a throwing error. Hinton then scored on a Chovanec double.

Delta State will face Valdosta State in the winner's bracket second round on Friday. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT start at AT&T Field.